I Can See Forever In Your Eyes
by SepatownSon
Summary: In attempt to better understand the people in Man's World, Diana gets Clark Kent to be her boyfriend.
1. Chapter 1

Clark Kent lounged across his living room couch, scribbling in a notebook, just throwing together a random short story, mostly about nothing, it didn't matter, he figured he should be happy to spend a relaxed Friday night at home. He'd flown around Metropolis and some of the surrounding area earlier, things had been quiet for a few months now now, no alien attacks, no natural disasters, no off world conflicts requiring mediation, sure there were robberies, street fights and a few house fires, but for the first time in a while, the Justice League wasn't needed. Things were boring, when things got tough Clark longed for boring, but now that it's here he felt uneasy. He needed to calm his nerves, writing usually did it, but not tonight. Sighing, he reached for the remote for his living room stereo, and turned it on. "Ribbon in the Sky," by Stevie Wonder filled the room, he sat back and closed his eyes, and tried to let the music take him away. He wasn't more than halfway through the song, before he heard his balcony doors open. His eyes shot open, and he sat up ready for anything, but standing in his living room, was no other than Wonder Woman.

In the time she's been in man's world, this is the first time she's ever been in his apartment. They occasionally spent time in his fortress, or at the Watchtower but never here. He couldn't believe she was here. He suddenly felt awkward and under dressed, she was in her Amazon armor, while Clark was wearing a tank top and basketball shorts, he usually saw her while in full Superman mode. And on a few occasions she saw him in his Daily Planet work clothes.

"Hey Kal." She said with a pensive look on her face.

"Hey Diana, what's up?"

"Do you have some time to talk?"

"Sure" He adjusted on the couch so he was no longer laying across it, and indicated she could sit. Diana sat on the couch next to him. "I've come to a decision Kal. I want to try living life as a normal human, like you do. Princess Diana and Wonder Woman are part of who I am, but not everything. Being in man's world has shown me that there is a lot more to life than being a superhero, or running a charity foundation. There are things in this world that I find want to experience. It's like there's a woman inside me that I haven't found yet. And I think living my own life and making my own decisions is the only way I can find her. Kal, would you help me do that?"

"Absolutely I will." He answered without hesitation. "I..."

"Good." She said before he could continue. "I've decided that the best way to do that is to completely integrate myself with the culture of man's world. I should do things someone my age would do, live as they live. Find a job, a home, do all the mundane things everyone complains about. I should do the things that those who oppose my ideas say I could never understand. It's the best way to accomplish my mission here. Change people's minds, and change the world? The best way to change someone's mind, is to learn what drives it."

"I think that's a fine idea. What do you need me to do to help you?"

"You have lived here your entire life blending in as a human, but you can relate to the perspective of an outsider, and help someone as powerful as I to blend in. We could spend time together, apart from the Justice League, even more than we already do. I guess what I'm saying is... I want you..." Diana hesitated, not knowing how he would react to her request. "I want you to be... my boyfriend." Diana's statement was completely out of left field. His eyes widened, his mouth dropped open and he sat completely still. "Kal, why are you looking like that? Do you... not want to be my boyfriend?"

"Um... Wow... I'm... Just caught off guard." Clark was looking like a deer in the headlights. He was attracted to Diana, since the first time he saw her. And she knew it, he admitted it to her while under the power of her lasso. But he hadn't the slightest clue if she was attracted to him. He'd accepted that given her upbringing, friendship was all he was going to get from her, but now she had totally changed the game.

"Many women seek companionship." Diana felt the need to explain herself. "I believe that I am no different in that regard, and a relationship is something I'd really like to experience. I thought why not be with the person that I have the most in common with, who I trust more than anyone, and consider my closest friend. Someone who I'm already close with, and don't mind the thought of being even closer to." Diana was becoming more and more hesitant as she went. She was unsure of herself, putting herself out in the open was very unsettling, and somewhat frightening. Not so much fear of her feelings, but fear of his reaction to them. Perhaps he didn't feel the same, she hoped that wasn't the case.

The idea of a relationship with Diana sounded great to Clark, but the logical way she had explained her reasons suggested that it may only be a means to understanding the thought process of a typical woman. Her explanation suggested that she may not have romantic feelings for him. And the current friendly relationship they shared would remain unchanged, and he would be a boyfriend in name only. Maybe he was was the only suitable pawn in her game of self-discovery. He should ask her, he should figure out what she thought a relationship was based on. But he didn't, because who knows? Maybe she does really like him?

Since he learned he was Kryptonian, bringing the limitations he would have with human relationships to the forefront, he dreamed, wished and prayed for someone he could truly be close to. And here she was. There was only one potential speed bump he was willing to acknowledge, was weather she asking Clark or Superman? "I would love to help you Diana and I would be honored to be your boyfriend. But I have to ask, who do you want to be with? Clark Kent, or Superman?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean is this, Wonder Woman publicly dating Superman?"

"I want to date Kal, your true self. You once told me that Superman was a mask to protect the people close to you, and I think Clark Kent pretending to be human is just as much of a mask. Clark is the man you were raised to be, but you're more than that. You can just be yourself, you won't have to lie to me. I want to create an identity so I can try living without people constantly wanting something from me. You said blending in allows you to relax, I'd like to try that, if we were together as heroes the media would never allow us any peace. It's bad enough as it is with those that already believe we're together."

He then figured her wanting to date him as his true self, was a point towards her actually having feelings for him."Well then. I guess that means you're gonna have to start calling me Clark." He said, definitely deciding to see where this goes.

"I guess it does." She said with a smile on her face.


	2. Chapter 2

The following Friday, all the paperwork containing Diana's new identity was completed. After Bruce gave it to her, she immediately went to Clark's apartment. Where she found him lounging on his couch, just as he was the week before. But he was still in his work clothes, he probably hadn't been home from work very long. Over the past week, they had seen each other, but hadn't done anything boyfriend/girlfriend related. Clark wanted to wait for her ID to be finalized so they could be an official couple. It was agreed that they would have a date as soon as they had a background for Diana.

"Hey Diana." Clark said without looking as soon as she opened the door to his balcony. "I take it your paperwork is all in." He said, now noticing the envelope in her hand. Instead of her Amazon armor, she wore a green Grecian dress that fell just past her knees, leather sandals that laced up her calves her bracelets and lasso. It was her normal attire during her down time, except for a pair of black, thick framed hipster glasses, that were basically the feminine equivalent of his own. She was still a stone cold knockout, but they changed her look just slightly. He couldn't stop staring.

"Yes. I thought we might look at it together." She said taking the seat on the couch next to him after he moved his legs out of the way.

"My name is Diana Aretha Prince, I'm 23 years old, a recent graduate of the University of... What are you looking at?" She asked noticing his eyes hadn't left her since she flew in.

"You're wearing glasses, I wasn't expecting them."

"You wear glasses. Why wouldn't I? I want to blend in. Is it a problem?"

"No, no problem, I just don't really think they're necessary."

"No? Then why do you wear them?"

"I don't know, it's just habit by now I guess. I've _not_ worn them, and nobody put it together, not even Lois. I showed up not 3 minutes after Superman saved her, without my glasses, and not a word from her."

"I've always wondered if Lois is as brilliant as you say, if she can't see that, then what does she see? It was obvious to me who you were the minute I saw you. I still don't understand how anyone could not."

"I don't think it's that she can't see it. I think she doesn't want to. It's not just Lois, but everyone seems to have this notion that I'm some perfect hero who flies around all day saving everyone from everything. I haven't said otherwise so they don't think anything else. I bet it's the same way with you, and that works to our advantage."

Diana wondered what he meant by that, he seemed rather perfect to her. "So I shouldn't wear glasses?"

"It's up to you."

"Ok. I think I'll keep them, just to be on the safe side." She said while adjusting them, as she still wasn't used to wearing them. "Moving on, I'm a Greek/American, I was born in Boston, but my mother is from Athens. She had me through a fertility clinic, and my father's identity is unknown." Which was totally fine with Diana, since she didn't have a father anyway. "I have a drivers license, passport, high school and college diplomas and a bank account with $400,000 in it."

"Bruce gave you 400 grand? Just like that? I swear he has too much money."

"Ollie gave me half, he told me to buy a car when I learn how to drive, or just take yours. Speaking of which, I didn't know you had a car."

"Yeah, a Chevy Volt, Bruce gave it to me, another example of him having too much money. I almost never drive it, but it's parked downstairs in the lot underneath the building."

"Oh, ok. Is there anything else I'll need?"

"You'll need some proper clothes." Clark said as he got up and walked over towards his bedroom. "As nice as your gowns are, they're a little bit conspicuous. I anticipated you may not have given this any thought, so I took the liberty of buying you some clothes." He came out of his bedroom holding a cardboard box that had been delivered by UPS earlier in the week. He handed the box to her, "I hope everything fits. I guessed on the sizes."

"Oh thank you. I hadn't given much thought to clothes until just today. I wondered how I would go shopping without drawing too much attention to myself. Perhaps I won't have to just yet." Diana opened the box and started going through the clothes inside, revealing pairs of both black and blue jeans, both pink and green sweaters and 5 short sleeved t shirts of various colors, also at the bottom of the box was a sports bra. Picking up the sports bra, she held it out in front of herself slightly confused. "You actually went to a store and purchased these things?"

"No way. I ordered it all online, what would I look like buying women's clothes? And I know what you're thinking. But there's a good reason I got that." He said pointing at the bra she was holding out towards him. "I overheard you say once, you never wore one, so I got it. It's a plain and simple one until you can get your own. If you don't wear it... It'll... not be good. Um... you should go to the bathroom and see how everything fits." He wanted to end that conversation quickly.

In the bathroom, Diana tried everything on, the pants and shirts seemed to fit. She had seen other women dress like this, and the clothes didn't look any different on them than on her, but they felt awkward. Wearing long pants wasn't something she was used to. She had to admit though, he was right about the bra, the t-shirts were far too thin to not wear one, and just wearing the sweaters would not work either. She did however wonder how he figured out the correct size for everything he bought for her. He said he never used his x ray vision on her, she _mostly_ believed him about that, but maybe he looked at her more than she thought. Satisfied in her blue jeans and green sweater she stepped out of the bathroom to where Clark was.

"Well Kal, what do you think?" She then mentally chastised herself for not calling him Clark.

"Shnazzy." He said in a monotone voice, while giving two lackluster thumbs up. Diana noticed the neutral look on his face, she wondered if he liked the clothes she wore. She suddenly felt self conscious. He rarely made any comment about her appearance, and now that she asked, she felt slightly disappointed in his response. She was hoping he would love the way she looked. "Well, we said we'd have a date once you got all settled. How about tonight?"

"Ok." Diana said with a smile, the date _was_ what she was looking for. But she still didn't understand his slight hesitation about everything.

"Alright, let me get changed. Then we can go."

"What will we do?"

"Um, how about we just take a walk, and see what happens from there?"

"That sounds alright." She responded, wondering if all dates were so informal. She thought more planning went into these things, but since Clark had so much more experience, she would follow his lead for now.

Minutes later Clark & Diana were stepped out of the elevator and walked towards the exit. "Have a good evening Mr... K-Kent." Said Adam, the man who worked behind the front desk. When Clark looked up he noticed Adam was staring wide eyed at Diana, and figured she was the reason for his stammering.

"Take it easy Adam." Said Clark with a wave, and without breaking stride he and Diana walked out of the building.

Adam turned to Sam the security guard, who sat silently the whole time. "Was that Kent's girlfriend?"

"Must be." Sam said.

"Damn! She was fine. I didn't know he could pull somebody like that... Wait a minute, when did she come in? I remember Kent coming in when he got off work, but he was alone. I would have remembered if she was with him. Have you seen her before?"

"No, I don't think so."

A block away, Diana and Clark walked side by side when suddenly he turned around and looked back at his apartment.

"What is it?" Diana asked, turning to look herself.

"We should have flown out. The guys at the desk saw you leave, but not come in, so now they're confused."

"Oh, I didn't think of that, sorry."

"It's fine, I didn't think of it either, I'll just ask you to come in through the enterance if you're going to visit me often."

"Oh, ok."

"So... have you figured out where you want to live yet?"

"Not really, somewhere in Metropolis would be best. We could see each other not matter where we lived, but that wouldn't be very covert. Do you know of anyplace? Maybe your building has an empty apartment?"

"No, my building is full. Even if it wasn't only my apartment is suitable your needs. Remember, you'll need some specific things in an apartment."

"Like a balcony that doesn't overlook the street that's good for going in and out."

"Yes, and that's not the easiest thing to find around here, but we'll figure something out."

"Kal, I mean... Clark. In case someone asks. How did we meet?"

"Good question." He said, thinking back to their first meeting. "I have no idea, have you thought of anything?"

"Not really, perhaps we met through your job at the Daily Planet?"

"Eh, I don't know about that, that would be rather out of character for me."

"How so? Maybe you were interviewing someone, and you met me after, and we went from there."

"No, that doesn't really work, because when I'm working I get in the zone, and everybody I work with knows that. I get focused in, and don't quit until I get it done." As he spoke he put his hands around his head like blinders.

"Hmm. I guess you're right about that." She knew that about him, he would get focused that way about Justice League matters as well. He always said that Clark and Superman were very different, but she wondered if they were more similar than he let on. "But we'll have to come up with something, if we run into anyone you know, they're bound to ask."

"You're right. But before we dwell on that too much, how about we get something to eat?"

"Ok, lead the way."

As they walked, Diana tried to take in everything, restaurants and bars were filling up, and people walked the streets seemingly with only the thought of having a good time. She couldn't help but notice the stark differences from the world she grew up in. Men and women interacting, smiling and laughing, nothing like she was taught as a girl. There was music from a small parking lot nearby, people had begun dancing, like a makeshift nightclub. Everyone seemed happy, even the police horse was happy, with all the people petting him, Diana got the impression that he loved nights like this. Even with everything going on around her, the thing that most stood out to her, was that once the crowd got dense, Clark held her hand. She felt his grip against hers, it wasn't particularly firm for her, but she suspected that it would have injured anyone else. She wondered if he was subconsciously trying to tell her something.

Clark picked a small family owned restaurant, that was away from all the party people downtown. For a Friday night it was rather empty, the food was great, and the masses hadn't discovered it yet. Which was one of the reasons Clark liked it so much, he preferred to do things low key. He liked to live his life with as little hassle as possible. As they walked in, they were immediately ushered over to a booth by the window and given menus. The waitress, Jane, a blonde woman in her early 30's, knew Clark well.

"Mr. Kent, great to see you again, how are you this evening?"

"I'm doing great Jane."

"And hello to you, miss."

"Hello." Diana said with a smile.

"Can I start you out with something to drink?" She said directly to Diana, who was scanning the drink menu.

"Water will be fine to start."

"Alright, and Coke and Grenadine for you?" she said turning to Clark.

"You know me so well." Clark replied with a charming smile.

Jane turned back to Diana, "I'm pretty sure I know what Clark will order, but I'll give you a few minutes to look over the menu. I'll be right back with those drinks." Jane then stepped away.

"You eat here a lot?" Diana asked.

"Yeah, I like it here, the food is great, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the food is great."

"I see." Diana looked around, trying to get a sense of the atmosphere, most of the patrons were older, at least in their 50's, Clark and Diana were clearly the youngest people there. It was much more informal than she was accustomed to. As Wonder Woman she often wined and dined with people at fancy upscale restaurants, but those were business outings, this was a date. It was bound to be different.

"Well, I'm gonna have my usual, the handcrafted bacon burger, with an order of fish and chips. You know what you want?" Clark said.

"I think I'll have the Louisiana whitefish sandwich, have you ever had it?"

"I haven't had it, but I've heard people say it's pretty good."

Diana smiled, as Clark seemed to be relaxing a bit. Until they got to the restaurant he seemed a little on edge. As the night went on, his sense of humor began to come out. She didn't always understand the things he found funny, but it still fascinated her the way he would find the strangest things funny. Their meal was excellent, and the conversation flowed freely. They even came up with a story to tell people about how they met, it wasn't Diana's favorite explanation, but it did mirror their first meeting fairly well. They also made plans to go apartment hunting and clothes shopping over the next few days.

During the meal, they talked mostly about growing up different than everyone else. Diana's powers were accepted and praised, and when Donna arrived she had a sister who's powers rivaled her own. Clark never had that, Kara had been found only a year ago, and most of that time she was on Themyscira learning to control her power. He was alone most of his life, having to hide all of his gifts. During that conversation she gained more insight on the man he truly was. She knew the mask he put on as Superman, and she saw through the mask of mild mannered reporter, Clark Kent. The real man was who she wanted to know, that was why she wanted a relationship with him. He fascinated her from the moment she saw him, and she wanted to know why.

After the meal, instead of walking back to his apartment, they found a place where they could take to the sky. Still wearing street clothes, they just hovered for a moment, high above Metropolis. "The city is so beautiful from up here. Staying on the ground, was very different than I expected." She observed out loud.

"Yes it is. People like us, we could do anything we want, but I think staying grounded allows us to see the true beauty of the place we live in. I'm glad you're doing this, learning to live in this world, it will help you in your mission. Goodnight Diana, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Clark." She responded with a content smile, before signaling her Justice League com link, "Watchtower, transport, Wonder Woman." Clark watched her fade away, and took flight towards his apartment.

"Well, that was an interesting night."


	3. Chapter 3

Finding an apartment was significantly easier than Clark anticipated. They found a great apartment that suited Diana's needs on the first day of their search. Whoever lived there must have moved out very recently. It was on the top floor with a balcony facing a park. It was also walking distance from Clark's home. The downside to her new place was the neighborhood, it was a rough area. During their tour of the place, Clark briefly stepped away so Superman could help an older man deal with a couple of rowdy teenagers. Since the 70's the neighborhood was booming, full of people with lots of money. More recently however, the area had declined, resulting in really nice apartments at rock bottom prices. The landlord was leery about renting to Diana, he didn't think it was quite safe for such a beautiful young woman to live there by herself. He obviously didn't have the slightest clue that he was renting to Wonder Woman.

"I should probably get some furniture." Diana said as they stood in the empty living room of her 3 bedroom, 1 and ½ bathroom apartment.

"I think you'll be fine without it. It'll make everything seem bigger." He said sarcastically.

"Very funny." Diana looked annoyed. He had been making silly jokes all day. "So tell me, is there anything wrong with this place?"

Clark looked around, scanning the walls, searching for any undesirable problems. "Nah. Pipes look pretty good, I'm not seeing any mold or anything like that. I don't know building codes but everything looks fire rated sound proof. The guy below us has his music turned up. Can you hear it?"

"No." Diana said, looking at the floor curiously.

"This place is actually really nice, you've got lots of space, the neighborhood kinda sucks, but you'll be fine." If she did get mugged, he was most worried about her blowing her ID, and possibly his, by putting her attacker's head through a brick wall.

"The landlord doesn't think so. When you stepped away, he suggested I get a license to carry a gun. Is this area really that bad?"

"No, not really. But a lot of people do carry guns."

Diana didn't really care, gunshots hurt a little, but they didn't do much damage to her. "So where did you go during the walk through?"

"A couple of high school kids were pushing a guy around. I don't think they were really trying to hurt him, they ran off as soon as I showed up."

"Oh. Just so you know, while I'm here if someone needs help I will step in. I won't allow anyone to suffer just to keep a secret between us."

"I don't expect you to, just know that most of the time people can deal with their own problems. It's when catastrophic things happen, that's when I step in. These days, just being seen flying around solves most problems... So uh, does anybody else know about you moving out here, or... about us?"

"Bruce didn't say anything, but I wouldn't be surprised if he knows about us being together. I told Julia I was going to live in Metropolis, she assumed it had something to do with you, but she didn't press me about it." Julia Kapatelis was Diana's friend, she ran the day to day operations of the Wonder Women Foundation. She knew Clark Kent from the times he'd interviewed Diana, but didn't know he was Superman. "It won't matter to anyone else at the foundation, they don't know where I am half the time anyway. Eventually I'll tell my mother, but not yet. She wasn't pleased when I told her you were my friend and colleague. I imagine she'll be even more upset to know that we're dating. I'm not worried about what she thinks right now."

Clark keyed in on her last statement. Her not caring about what her mother thought about their relationship was another point toward her actually liking him. Still, he knew about the Amazons and the misandry that was rampant on their island, and wasn't excited about the possibility of visiting Themyscira. Even Kara said Hippolyta was mean. "So I guess that means the island won't be opened up to the public any time soon?"

"No, mother is stubborn, there's so much good we could give this world, if only mother would open her eyes and see." Diana had been trying for quite some time to get Themyscira opened to the world, she hoped to become a U.N. Ambassador and represent the Amazons on a much broader scale. But until that time The Wonder Women Foundation would have to do. Looking around, Diana changed the subject. "I think I want a red sofa and some matching chairs." Not wanting to discuss her frustrations with her mother anymore. "Where do you buy things like that?" She asked.

"Uh, there's lots of places to get that stuff. You can order it from a custom place or you can do what I did and go to Gerät-Sessel and put it together yourself."

"Gerät-Sessel? I've never heard of that."

"Oh, good. This should be fun." He said sarcastically.

Gerät-Sessel was a German company that specialized in high end looking furniture for mid range prices, weekends at the Metropolis retail store meant lots and lots of shoppers. And with the shortened Sunday hours, people were scrambling to get in. Clark knew from the moment he pulled into the parking lot he was in for a miserable day. He'd have to do his best to hold in his frustrations. Diana wanted to look at everything in the showroom, Clark secretly wished an airplane would malfunction so he could get out of here. While Diana looked at counter tops that she didn't need, Clark went to the floor model of a wet bar and stood behind it, examining the bottles & glasses that were displayed on top of it.

"You look like you're serving drinks." A woman said to Clark with a smile from the other side of the bar. "I'd like a long island iced tea."

"Rum and coke is all I can make." Clark said with a laugh and a smile. The woman laughed a little too loud at his joke. All the while, Diana was standing behind the her. She briefly thought the woman was out of her mind to ask something like that. Clark's response was quick, and witty, and the woman understood it perfectly. Diana felt self-conscious again, here was this Titan, more powerful than the gods, traversing the world like it was nothing, she was just a lowly demigoddess sent from paradise and dropped into a big ball of confusion. How could they be together? "Are you done here Diana?" He said, looking past the woman.

"Yes, we can go." Diana said, meeting him as he stepped away from the bar. She briefly turned to look at the woman who spoke to Clark, and then stepped closer to him. "We should look at bedroom sets now." She said, hoping the woman could hear her. Despite her currently lowered self-esteem, she still felt defensive about Clark.

"They're both the same. Do you want lighter or darker?" Diana didn't answer as she stood between two chests of drawers. "Your wood grain is dark on everything else you picked out. I say go with the dark one and keep the theme with everything else."

"I could do that, but maybe I want something different. I don't want to feel like I'm walking into the same room everywhere I go."

"So get the lighter color."

"Why are you in such a hurry for me to choose?" He'd been doing this the whole day, it was starting to get on her nerves.

"What? I'm trying to be helpful." Clark feigned innocence.

"You've been rushing me all day. 'Are you done Diana?' 'Pick this one.' 'Diana, you don't even need those.' What is going on with you?" That was Diana. She was one of the few people who called him out on his BS. Bruce did it from time to time, but he was more subtle, giving Clark a look that made him call foul on himself. Diana on the other hand, got in his face about it. "Well, Clark?"

"I want to leave, this place is miserable. We've been here for like 3 hours. When I got my furniture... I was in and out of here in 45 minutes."

"Well why didn't you just say that?"

"Would it have changed anything? No. And I know for a fact you don't want me to walk around like a miserable cuss. There are a lot of guys here doing it, and none of their women are happy about it."

Diana looked around, aside from the woman at the bar display, she'd been largely oblivious to the other shoppers. Perhaps because most of them had been women, but when she looked closer, many of the men looked as bored and frustrated as Clark. Did men really dislike shopping this much? She thought the women who said that had been joking. Apparently not.

The rest of the trip went rather smoothly. Since she had seen most of the store already, Diana decided to indulge Clark and move a little faster. She decided to go with the lighter color for her bedroom, picking a chest of drawers, bookshelf & bed frame. She hadn't realized how much she had purchased until they went into the warehouse and actually took everything down from the shelves. They both had full carts. She was glad that he insisted they rent a van to carry everything back to her apartment. She didn't like however having to play the part of weak female while loading the van, she could lift anything he could, but it would look odd for her to pick up a sofa by herself. However Diana was not one to be outdone, when they were inside her apartment, she made sure to do her share of the heavy lifting. Not that Clark minded, he was glad to be with a woman who didn't constantly need his help. It was refreshing. They spent the rest of the evening eating Chinese take out and assembling her furniture. The frustration of the day was gone, and the laughter had returned. He no longer felt strong armed into shopping with her, he felt like her friend again. It was a good feeling, one he could really get used to.

Clark strolled into the Daily Planet on Monday morning feeling good. That is until he saw Cat & Lois sitting on his desk, quietly, as if they were waiting for him. Cat Grant and Lois Lane did not exactly get along, outwardly they were polar opposites, Lois, a consummate professional, and Cat borderline slutty. Inwardly however, they were somewhat similar, and that always ate at each of them. They only got along when Clark was involved, this was a major buzz kill for Clark, not a good way to start off the work week. Did they somehow know about Diana? No, that couldn't be it. Could it?

"Good morning, Clark." Lois spoke first.

"Morning Lois."

"Good morning, Clark." Cat said, batting her lashes at him the way she always did.

"Catherine." He said, walking past them to sit at his desk. Cat hated it when he called her 'Catherine'. That's what her father called her, and Clark was not someone she wanted in the category of her father.

"How was your weekend Clark?" Cat said. From the way she spoke, it was clear she didn't care about his weekend, she wanted something.

"It was fine." He said, phrasing his response more like a question.

"Really? Did you do anything special?"

"Uh, not really."

Lois had enough of Cat's dancing around, she wanted to know what was going on. "Cat says she saw you at Gerät-Sessel with some woman yesterday. We were just curious who she was."

"She had sort of a sexy librarian vibe to her. So, were you playing good Samaritan or do you have a new girlfriend?"

Clark wasn't particularly happy about this development, it wasn't as if he wasn't ever going to tell them about Diana, he just wanted to do it on his own terms. But now, they'll probably give him grief about it. "I was helping my girlfriend, with some new furniture."

"Girlfriend huh? Good for you, I see you finally stopped chasing the chubbies." Cat said.

"Really? You're going there again?" His last girlfriend, Lorren Landry was a size 14, they dated briefly over a year ago, but these two just couldn't let it go.

"Lorren was fat, admit it Clark, I'm just glad you're not selling yourself short anymore." Lois said.

"She was cute, and I actually liked her, so I wasn't selling myself short. And whatever happened to solidarity and sisterhood?" Diana would be proud of him if she heard that. "You've given a woman you met once, a years worth of grief, all because she weighed a little more than you? Isn't that a little high school of you?" Both Cat and Lois looked a little dumbfounded at his observation. Maybe they hadn't thought of it that way. He figured he probably should shut up now, but he didn't. "Maybe you're jealous. You were jealous of Lorren, and without even knowing her you're jealous of my current girlfriend Diana, jealous that she can bag a big country boy like me, but you're still single." Cat and Lois were completely shocked, Clark had just burned them. He never did that! Before either one could respond Jimmy walked by.

"Chief's calling a meeting in the conference room."

Clark quickly left for the meeting, feeling pretty good about himself for not letting them bring him out of his morning.


	4. Chapter 4

Diana sat at an outdoor cafe, she had the morning off, but later she would have to check on the foundation in Washington DC, then go to St. Louis to attend a ceremony and have dinner with a real estate mogul. She picked a spot outside in order to people watch, but she couldn't help but think about Clark. She thought of the range of emotions she felt about him. She felt fear of the thought that he might reject a relationship with her, and she felt inexperienced and worthless when he shared a silly joke with the woman at the furniture store. Those were awful feelings. The end of the day had been much better, gone were the feelings of inadequacy. Just through normal conversation he reinforced to her that she had awesome power that was equal to his. He made her feel like she could live in this world, that possibly they could share something special. The range of emotions he made her feel was confusing, she couldn't figure out why he made her feel terrible and incredible all at the same time. Maybe that's the point? If there were no pain, could there be joy? Clark was an enigma. When she first met him, she still believed that men were the source of all evil in the universe. For a while she treated him like it. He was everywhere, in newspapers, on television, across the internet, she thought he was a god. The world was full of evil, he seemed to try to fight it, but allowed so much more to continue. If he wasn't an evil god, why would he not command them to stop? She discovered, that he was not a god, and he viewed himself as no different than anyone else. He was respectful to her, even when she wasn't to him. Over time her feelings for him changed. She realized what she felt for him was attraction, at first she was repulsed by it. She felt less than Amazon, she lied to her mother and sisters about it, she lied to herself. For a long time she fought it, tried to ignore it, but she found she couldn't anymore. She didn't want to. The outside pressures on her from the media just compounded the situation. They found just the right way to get to her, drill into her that she had no idea how to help anyone. How could she fix problems she didn't understand? She didn't outwardly show it, but she doubted herself, her mission. Only Clark knew she felt that way, and she knew a relationship with him wouldn't fix everything, but it would help her understand. It would also give her time to understand her feelings for him without fear he'd find someone else.

"Is there anything else I can get for you?" The young waitress asked, breaking Diana out of her thoughts.

"Another drink please." Was Diana's response. The waitress didn't take long to bring her another glass of juice, must have been a slow morning, because she didn't seem to be doing twelve things at once. "Thank You."

The waitress breaking her train of thought also reminded her of why she was here in the first place. She wanted to observe the people. She wasn't sure what to expect, but the longer she sat, the more interested she was. She was sitting, in the same downtown neighborhood she and Clark walked through on Friday night. It was obviously calmer now, some people looked miserable, must be a Monday thing. Many of the men were polite, holding open doors, hailing cabs, and doing other respectful things. Some people were familiar with each other, others weren't. She sat there for at least 45 minutes before, right in front of her, she saw a woman walking hand in hand with her daughter. She guessed the little girl was about 5 or 6 years old, and on her head was a cardboard tiara painted gold with a red star in the center, and on her wrists were cardboard bracelets painted silver. Diana smiled widely at the woman and the girl, who both smiled back. Diana now had a terrific idea! She had to get to Washington.

* * *

"You want to sell bracelets?" Julia Kapatelis asked surprised at Diana's sudden appearance minutes ago. Diana was very excited about her latest idea.

"Not exactly sell them. They'll be prizes for donations to our cause. We can partner with jewelry companies, and toy companies. The large donors will receive beautifully crafted bracelets with real jewels, and for smaller donations we'll give away what will be seen as children's toys. "

"And you thought of this after seeing a girl on the street?"

"Yes, they were made out of cardboard. She probably made them herself."

"This sounds like a good idea, and you seem pretty excited about it, we can get to work on finding sponsors right away."

Diana was so excited she had to will herself not to jump up and down like a happy child. She thought of the possibilities. For the Amazons the bracelets were a symbol that that they'd never again be put in shackles. Here, they could be symbols of strength, and solidarity. Or at the very least, they could look pretty. She couldn't wait to tell Clark, but that wasn't going to happen yet, he had to work, and she had to go to dinner with real estate mogul Morris Jackson.

* * *

Perry White's staff meeting didn't take long. They usually didn't, he wanted status updates on what everyone was working on, and hand out assignments to those who needed them. Clark sat at his desk, waiting for Lois to call him out for what he said earlier. As nice as it was to finally shut Lois and Cat up, he knew it wouldn't last long. Cat hadn't been around since the meeting, but Lois was sitting right across from him. She hadn't said anything, but she'd given him several dirty looks since the meeting ended. Never a good sign. It was only a matter of time before she would get on him.

Lois Lane was torn over Clark. She did slightly feel bad about insulting Lorren, she hadn't considered that could be what she was doing. But there was no way she was jealous of anyone over Clark. She had never seen this Diana person he was dating now, and Cat had only seen her from a distance, so she had to take Cat's supermodel description with a grain of salt. From a physical standpoint Lois knew that Clark Kent had a lot going for him, 6'4, full of muscle, a strong hairline, and a semi-charming smile. His problem was that he was shy and too passive, if he took charge he might not miss out on all the excitement in life. Maybe it was a Kansas thing? Today was the closest thing he'd ever been to aggressive. They always made fun of him, why would he speak up now? Maybe he really likes this girl.

"So Clark. How long have you been dating, uh, what was her name?" Lois finally asked.

"_Diana_ and I have known each other for a while now, but we only started dating recently." Lois wasn't one to forget, she remembered Diana's name, she was doing this on purpose.

"I see. So what does she do?"

"Uh, she just finished school, she studied foreign languages, she hasn't found a job yet."

"Just finished school? How old is she?"

"23."

"Isn't she a little young for you?" Lois was fishing now, there had to be something about Diana, to make Clark so defensive.. He never defended Lorren, so he couldn't have liked her that much, but he defended Diana before we said anything about her.

"I'm 27, 4 years isn't that big of a deal."

"I guess not." However Lois was still skeptical, if she was fresh out of college with no job, how did she have money for furniture? And where was she staying? Hopefully Clark wasn't getting walked over, he may be a country bumpkin, but he was too nice of a guy to be taken advantage of. "Anyway, I got things to do." Lois stood, gathering her notebook and recorder. "One more thing Smallville, I will NEVER, be jealous of anyone you date, ever!" Lois then spun around and walked out of the office without another word to anyone. Clark could only smile to himself.

"That went well." He said to himself.

* * *

Diana was miserable, why did she agree to this? Morris Jackson was a real estate giant, who partnered with the Wonder Women Foundation to build several shelters for battered women and children. He wasn't a bad man, in fact he was quite the stand up guy. Diana just didn't want to be here anymore. Months ago, when the deal was being worked out, Diana had agreed to dinner with Morris, after the opening of the first shelter. She couldn't get out of it now, so she got herself into Princess mode. She wore a elegant red dress, high heels, her bracelets and tiara, and her lasso attached to her hip. They were were at a very upscale restaurant in St. Louis, where the waiters wore tuxedos and the food was incredibly expensive. She also noticed that the portions were tiny. Clark would definitely feel out of place here, and the more she thought about it, she felt out of place herself. She wished she was with Clark. She felt like herself when she was with him, not lies, no facades. Tonight, she had to be prim and proper, when she would prefer to relax. Sitting on the floor with Clark eating Chinese food, surrounded by poorly written instruction manuals sounded wonderful. Maybe they can do that later? She'd definitely have to eat again after this.

"You know I think this is going to be a very successful project." Morris said.

"Yes, your enthusiasm was very helpful in getting everything done. I thank you for that."

"You're welcome. Places like this are important to me. My father was a heavy drinker, and he would beat up my mother. I used to ask her why she would put up with it. And every time she would ask 'Where would I go?' it broke my heart every time."

Diana felt the same way about her mother. She felt sympathy for him, he had actually seen his mother put through her horror. "You don't want what happened to her, to happen to anyone else."

"No, anything I can do to stop that from happening, I will do. I grew up in this town, I've never truly left it. I know that my story isn't unique. There are a lot of people going through the same thing, some have it even worse."

"I didn't realize this was your home. I guess that's why you were so adamant that the first shelter be built here."

"Yes. I've always wanted to build this area up so that one day, when I have a wife and child, they won't have to deal with the same problems my mother and I did... My whole life, I always wondered if I had it in me to be the kind of man I need to be, maybe that's why I've never settled down."

"I see"

"Have you ever thought about settling down?" He suddenly asked.

There it is. It was inevitable, every time she turned around another man was hitting on her. At the very least Morris wasn't rude about it. He tried to play it off as a simple question, but it wasn't going to work.

"Mr. Jackson. I'm sorry, but I know what you're leading to, and I'm not interested in a personal relationship with a business partner. Perhaps you misunderstood me when I accepted your invite to dinner. Tonight is only meant to recognize the beginning of what I hope is a very successful effort by our two organizations, nothing more."

Morris paused, then laughed wryly. "I guess you caught me. I suppose you get that a lot."

"Constantly."

"I guess no one is immune to the allure of Wonder Woman."

* * *

Clark was sitting on his living room couch with his feet up and his arms crossed. He was deep in thought. Where to get pizza? Giarratano's from Chicago? Robby's from New York? Or Imperioli's from Detroit? Decisions, decisions, decisions.

"Hey Clark." Diana said floating through the balcony door. "You busy?"

"Oh wow!" Clark said noticing how gorgeous she looked in the dress she was wearing. Ignoring the fact that she just startled him again. "Not really busy, I was just figuring out where to get dinner."

"Oh good. I'm a little hungry too. What were you going to have?"

"I was about to order up a couple of pizzas. Do you want one?"

"Yes." Diana said happily, this was what she wanted.

"Let me know what you want." Clark, handed her a coupon, and she looked it over briefly.

"It's in Detroit?"

"Uh yeah, I couldn't decide if I wanted Chicago style or New York style, so I figured I'd get both. On the recommendation of your favorite Green Lantern, John Stewart, Imperioli's is one of my top pizza places. They make a quality pie."

"I see." Diana always got along well with John. His military attitude and approach to life always reminded her of Phillipus, and he was from Detroit, he would be the one to know where to get good food there.

Clark ordered, and shortly later flew to Detroit to pick up the pizzas. Leaving Diana alone in his apartment. She sat for a few minutes, then decided to explore. She went through his kitchen, office and living room, before venturing to his bedroom. Once there, she noticed something. Everything he arranged in his home was completely symmetrical. Everything, from the tables and lamps on each side of his bed, to the twin bookshelves on each wall parallel to the bed. It was all the same, to the way his dresser was arranged, there was a decorative box in the center where she assumed he kept his keys and wallet, and on either side of that were smaller identical boxes that were full of small buttons, each with a needle and thread sitting on the top, he apparently lost a lot of buttons. The symmetry bothered her, it was too organized, too mathematical. The more she thought about it, the Fortress was the same way. Maybe he liked it like this? Except he doesn't seem to be the type to make a big fuss how a home was decorated. Maybe it was a Kryptonian habit? Who knows? Either way, she decided if she lived here, it would be totally different.

Figuring he would get back any minute she quickly left his bedroom, and sat back on the couch. Sure enough 30 seconds later, he came swooping in with a strange looking package in his hands. Diana was confused at the object.

"That's the strangest looking pizza box I've ever seen." She remarked.

"Nah, this is just something I made to keep them hot. It's modified from something Kryptonian." He said as he quickly gathered plates, glasses and a pitcher of kool-aid from the fridge. They sat next to each other on his couch with the pizzas on the coffee table. Diana quickly dug into her pizza. "I thought you had a dinner thing tonight. Why are you so hungry?"

"It was at some fancy 5 star restaurant in St. Louis, the food was very good, but there wasn't much of it."

"Uh huh. So did you accomplish whatever it is you wanted?"

"For the most part. It was a dinner with Morris Jackson recognizing the opening of the first shelter for battered women and children we have partnered to build."

"Whoever Morris Jackson is."

"He's a successful real estate mogul. He even tried to hit on me"

"Hmm?" Clark didn't like that at all, but knew he had to stay cool. He could get defensive about Diana Prince, but not Wonder Woman. "You obviously shot him down right?"

"Obviously. But enough about that, I wanted to tell you what I saw today."

Diana told him about the little girl with the cardboard bracelets and tiara, and about her plan to make and market them. She got excited again, even more so than she was that morning. Mostly because she was telling Clark. Julia would caution Diana about some of her ideas, but would always do what she wished. On the other hand, Clark would be totally honest with her. If he thought it was a bad idea, he'd say so.

"So basically it's like giving away a Sesame Street backpack for a donation to PBS?"

"Yes, just like that."

"I think it's a good idea. I bet it'll open some wallets. As long as it isn't my parents."

"Why wouldn't your parents support me?"

Clark laughed. "You, they might support. But let's just say, I never got that Grover backpack I wanted when I was a kid."

"They don't like PBS?"

"No, it's not that, they never cared about fancy backpacks and stuff. I always got a plain one from the general store."

"Aww, did little Clark get sad?" Diana teased leaning in close to his face. Clark didn't say anything he just gave her an annoyed look. Then he laughed himself.

They finished off their pizza and watched a movie, there wasn't much conversation during. They simply enjoyed being together. Unfortunately Diana couldn't stay, because Clark had to work in the morning. She also had to be reminded to fly out the balcony, as to not confuse the front desk people again. She wasn't sure why she did it, but was glad she did. Before she flew away, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Oh." Clark remarked about the kiss. "I'd say that's a good thing."


	5. Chapter 5

Clark was watching the clock, only 3 more hours. Monitor duty had become a chore, nobody ever wanted to do it, but now that nothing was happening in the world it was even more unbearable. Even J'onn, who took more shifts than anyone had enough of doing nothing. Hal & Wally tried to convince everyone that they didn't even need to do shifts anymore. Bruce however was having none of that, he wasn't going to allow anyone let their guard down. Quite frankly he was the only one of them who was at all busy these days. Clark was totally still, if he wasn't breathing he might look dead. He just stared at the clock totally deadpan. He'd agreed on the rule that they couldn't listen to music while on duty, but now he was regretting that decision. When the Batman walked in, he still didn't move, only shifting his eyes.

"Bruce, why is it the watchtower is home to some of the most advanced technology in this sector, but we still have analog clocks?"

"What?"

"Seriously, they still have AA batteries. Is that really the best we could come up with?" The Batman was silent. Clark's silly questions about clocks weren't worthy of a response. Clark finally spun around in his chair. "So what are you doing here?"

"Meeting."

"That's today? Really?" Clark hasn't exactly been on top of League activities lately. There was nothing for them to do. In his boredom he completely forgot about the meeting, he wondered which would be worse: Monitor duty or a meeting where no one had anything to report? At the very least he would see Diana again so it wouldn't be all bad. They hadn't seen each other since their pizza and movie night several days ago, they had only spoken over the phone about Diana's inability to find clothes that fit. "Well, alright, I'll see you there."

* * *

When Diana arrived at the watchtower she was greeted first by Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance.

"Hey Diana! How's the move to Metropolis?" Dinah spoke first.

"Is Clark helping you get settled in?" Ollie added.

"The move has been very good. Clark has been very helpful." Diana answered both of them. "And speaking of Clark, I wanted to speak to him, excuse me."

As Diana exited the room Dinah turned to Ollie and whispered, "Something's going on with them."

"Going on with who?"

" Diana and Clark dummy, I think there's something going on between them."

"You've been saying that for like 2 years, I don't believe you anymore."

"Well this time I have proof. She called him Clark."

"That's his name. We all call him that."

"She's _always _calls him Kal. Something must have changed for her to start calling him Clark. Maybe that's why she moved to Metropolis, so they could be together." Dinah wondered aloud.

"If she's living in Metropolis they probably hang out together, they always do, except now she's got to keep his ID. Why wouldn't she call him that?"

Dinah paused, "That's true I guess. But I don't know, I've never heard her call him Clark."

"Even if they are hooking up. Does it really matter?" He asked.

* * *

Clark heard Ollie and Dinah's conversation from 3 sections away. He wasn't trying to listen, but sometimes he had no choice but to hear. Dinah was on to them, Ollie didn't seem to care one way or the other. He and Diana weren't exactly hiding from anyone in the league. It was common knowledge that they were close. They told everyone they were friends, so spending time together wasn't anything out of the ordinary. So many of them wondered if they were already involved romantically, it probably wouldn't be a shock to find out that they were. If of course what they were doing had anything to do with romance. The kiss made him think so, she hadn't done that before, but he couldn't be sure about anything. He wanted to ask her how she truly felt, and to tell her his feelings, but that didn't come easy for him. He didn't really know how, he had no examples of how a man expressed feelings, Jonathan Kent rarely did it with words. There's no doubt in Clark's mind that Jonathan loved him as much as any father could love a son, but he couldn't recall a time in his entire life when he actually said the words, he rarely even said them to Martha. Jor-El showed even less emotion, Clark often wondered how close the simulation was Jor-El's actual personality. Lara's simulation didn't show much either. With no examples he deemed worthy enough to duplicate, Clark truly had no idea how to express himself to Diana. If he was honest with himself he was almost afraid to put himself out there. When it came to women, his confidence wasn't all that great, sure they flirted with him constantly, but every time he tried a relationship, he got kicked to the curb. Superman always got in the way. Lana Lang didn't want to deal with balancing Clark and Superman. Mayson Drake liked Clark, but was actively against Superman, so that would have gone nowhere. Lorren Landry dumped him because he disappeared without explanation all the time. Lois Lane was so enamored with Superman that Clark was invisible, so he never even attempted that. But Diana was totally on the other side of the spectrum. She understood Superman, she accepted him, but she didn't want him. She wanted the real man, without the masks. She would understand what Superman has to do and why he must do it, she would understand because she would be right there beside him every step of the way.

"Hi Clark!" Diana said with a big smile, walking into the monitor room.

"Hey." He responded cheerfully, it took Diana less than 5 seconds to lift his mood. Her smile just completely changed the outlook of his day.

"After the meeting, lets meet up at the fortress."

"Uh... okay, what for?"

"I need a workout, the lack of action around here is making me feel out of shape. I need to be sharp, just in case something happens."

"No problem."

"Good." Diana's smile lit up again. Clark wondered if she was planning something, and if so, was it good or bad for him.

* * *

The meeting went as expected, with the exception of the Batman, nobody was dealing with anything worse than a local bank robbery. Gotham City though, was a mess, crooked politicians, crazed villains and a police department in shambles. In the middle of it all was one man, the Batman. Since no one but him was doing any significant hero related work. They were trying to convince the caped crusader to accept some help. Wally was 5 minutes into his latest pitch to get Clark and Diana to step in.

"Seriously, if people just see them flying around it'll lift their spirits. I can't think of feeling any safer than when Superman and Wonder Woman are around." The scarlet speedster had a feeling that he was wasting his breath, but was still hopeful Bruce might budge.

"I work alone." Bruce said in his usual way.

"Well, I tried." Wally said dismissing the thought quickly. "Hey blue, we should go club hopping."

"What?" Clark asked, he hadn't been paying attention.

"Meeting over, were done." The Batman suddenly said, and swiftly left the room, followed by several others.

"We should go to the club, Hal's not around so I need a wing man tonight." Wally continued.

Diana tried her best to hide her expression, she knew what Hal and Wally did when they went out. She didn't like the thought of Clark being involved in that sort of behavior. She didn't think he would abandon their plans at the fortress, but she wasn't sure how he would respond to Wally's request. Fortunately, he didn't have to.

"Wally, if you two went clubbing, you'd be the wing man. There's no way in the world, Superman would have to take one for the team. I don't think you'd be okay with that. You and Hal have your system worked out, but you wouldn't even see see a girl if he was there." Zatanna spoke up just before she left the conference room. Wally sat silent, pondering her words.

"I guess she's right, but it doesn't matter, I'm not much of a club guy anyway." Clark told Wally.

That wasn't all together true, he went out to clubs from time to time, but they were much more low key than where Wally and Hal went.

"Plus we made plans to work out together, so he was already busy. Maybe another time." Diana spoke up for him, and began to drag him out of the conference room by his cape.

* * *

At the fortress, they faced off against each other in a simulator room as large as a football stadium. Clark knew what a workout to Diana meant, it was at least two hours of hand to hand combat, which wouldn't be so bad, except for the fact that it consisted of Diana beating him up and down the floor for most of that time. His fighting technique wasn't on par with hers, she has been training him for some time now, so he's better than he was. However there was no question she was still the master, she's had 20 years of intense combat training, with a immortal clan of warrior women, he simply relied on being able to out punch his opponent. She could read him like a book, countering every move he tried. Her quickness was a match to his, she could block, or throw punches just as quickly as he could. It frustrated him to no end, and when he got that way, his technique faltered. He went for a hay maker, she dodged it with ease and gave him two to the body and one to the head, knocking him down.

"What did I tell you about throwing a flawed punch?" She teased.

Clark didn't respond, he simply dove at her swinging his arms wildly. Using his momentum against him, she grabbed his arm and put her left knee in his gut, threw a combination of punches to his chest, then a low roundhouse kick to his legs to knock him down. He anticipated her swinging leg and jumped over, he was fast, but Diana was smart. In one fluid motion she quickly stood, and spun again, this time aiming her roundhouse kick at his head. Her heel connected square on the side of his head before his feet could touch the ground again. He flipped over and landed on his face about 10 feet away from her.

"Ah! Dammit! You kicked me in the ear!" Clark rolled on the ground several times before standing up, clutching the side of his head.

Diana just smiled, he'd get over it shortly. "Good workout. Thank you for that, but you're still telegraphing your punches. You're never going to beat me if you continue to do that."

"So we're done?" He knew he wouldn't beat her like that. He didn't even try anymore.

"Yeah, we can be done." She relented as he began exiting the training room. He picked up several towels from a rack next to the door, and tossed her one.

"So how bad did I do this time?"

"Not that bad, but you let your frustration get the best of you. The longer the fight goes on the more you drop your technique."

"I've found the most effective tactic is to get you in a wrestling match. I can usually win those. Except for today."

"That's why I don't let you get inside my defense." Diana said crossly. She hated to admit that he could out grapple her. Despite her training, he was still able to out muscle her.

"So, do you want to shower here or will you go back to your apartment?"

"I'll shower here, I don't really like the shower in my apartment. It's too small, and I hate that I can't stretch out in the tub. Aside from Themyscira this is the best place to get cleaned up, the watchtower is too utilitarian. In fact if you had a bathing pool it would be perfect here."

"Oh, I'll keep that in mind. So you go first, I'll be in the kitchen."

Diana left towards the wing of the fortress where his shower was, while she walked she noticed that everything was built symmetrically. Just like his apartment, just as she suspected, it was a Kryptonian habit. He explained to her that the structure of the fortress was basically built by one of the crystals left in his ship. That explained the fortress, but not his apartment. Did he decorate that way on purpose? She didn't like his apartment as it was, but here is wasn't so bad, actually it was perfect, the fortress was a spectacular place to be. She felt privileged to be one of the only people to have ever seen it.

* * *

After they both showered, they sat together in his kitchen area. This was a bit awkward, neither were sure what to do, usually after sparring she would leave. Clark was drinking water from a large container.

"So uh, did you ever figure out your clothes situation?" He asked. Several days ago she called him to ask where he bought the clothes he got for her. Apparently the mall didn't carry anything for a woman built like Diana.

"I found undergarments. Those were easy to find, but everything else that would fit me made me look dowdy. I don't want to dress like that. My height was the problem, I wasn't aware being 6 feet tall was such an issue for a woman."

"Neither did I."

"But I've found a solution. I'm going to re create my favorite styles by making everything myself. Tomorrow I'm going to Themyscira to get the material. It's much thicker than what's found here anyway."

"Oh, cool. Say hey to Kara for me." He remarked before taking a swig of water.

"I will." Diana paused, she wasn't sure how he'd react to her next statement. "I'm also going to speak with my mother. I'm going to tell her about us."

Clark didn't stop drinking. He downed more than half a gallon of water without stopping.

"Okay. If that's what you think is best."

"You think I shouldn't tell her?"

"I don't know, she's your mother, I just want to keep all my parts."

"I suppose I understand that. How did your parents react when you told them about us?"

"I haven't told them yet. But I'm sure they'll be ecstatic."

"You haven't told them? I thought you told them everything?"

"I don't tell them that much, especially who I'm dating. That just causes too many unwanted questions. It's not that I'm ashamed of you or anything, I just think it would be better if you were there to meet them"

"I'll do that. I would say the same to you, but my mother may not be as receptive."

"I understand. So let me know how it goes, so I'll know know if I have to keep my head on a swivel for angry Amazons."

"Will do." Diana smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

Diana loved Themyscira, as long as she lived this would always feel like home. She landed on the beach, where no one was around. Deciding to take the scenic route to her mothers apartments, she hovered slowly not far above the ground. Once she got into the heart of the city she was greeted happily by many of her sisters. Word traveled so quickly on Themyscira so it wouldn't take long for her mother to know she had arrived. While flying through a commerce area, she noticed a small cart full of linens and fabrics, that's where she would stop to get the material for her new clothes.

"Diana! You're back!" She heard a voice say. She would recognize that voice anywhere, the fact that it came from above her just added to the obvious. It was her sister Donna, she was with Kara flying high in the sky when they saw her and decided to drop in. When Kara was brought to the island last year, she and Donna became fast friends. Since Diana wasn't around anymore, Donna glad there was another on the island with super powers. She also liked the fact that she and Kara were pretty evenly matched in strength and speed. Where Diana took every type of competition seriously, and dominated her in every way, Kara was much more relaxed about everything. That was much more Donna's style.

"Yes. I came to see mother. Do you know if she's busy?" Diana said, while hugging her sister.

"Not that I know of. I haven't seen her since this morning, she didn't say anything about being particularly busy today."

"How's Clark?" Kara asked.

"He's very good. He says hello to you, Kara."

"Who is Clark?" Donna asked them both.

"Kal." Diana simply said.

"My cousin, you know, Superman?"

"Oh, that's right. You did say that was his name." Donna said to Kara.

"Yeah I definitely did. He's the only guy I've ever talked about. He's literally the only person I know."

"It is good to see you again Donna, and Kara you as well, but I must find mother."

With that, Diana lifted off towards the palace where the queen lived. She had to hurry as she was getting nervous, she wanted to make sure she wouldn't lose the courage to tell her mother about the things that have happened.

* * *

Queen Hippolyta sat on a bench on the balcony of her bedroom, next to Diana. She was pleased with the Diana's report of the happenings in the outside world. There had been no attacks from malicious forces for months. Perhaps the world isn't full of evil after all, and Diana's mission the rid the world of it was beginning to work. She liked Diana's idea about other women wearing bracelets and tiaras as a symbol of strength, but wasn't quite clear on how they would be distributed. The complex economics of man's world weren't exactly straight forward.

"So what is your 'Justice League' doing while the world is at peace?" The queen asked after a long pause. Diana cringed at the way she said 'Justice League,' clearly she was still cynical about their team.

"Many of us are using this time for personal matters, I am using the time to try to understand the world better. I've adopted a secret identity and for the last few weeks have been living among the people."

"But you said that your image is everywhere. How are you able to do this? Aren't you flooded with people wanting to be near you?"

"It's actually been very easy, no one has recognized me, or if they have they haven't said anything."

"Do your colleagues know you are doing this?"

"Some of them do, many live this way themselves. They've always done it, they had their lives before they became heroes, and have had to find ways to balance them. I'm one of the few who doesn't keep secrets from the rest of the world. At least until now. In fact, Clark...Kal... I mean Superman has been very helpful in the process."

Her daughter's stammering wasn't lost to the queen. She never hesitated or stumbled to speak unless there was something she didn't want to tell and Superman was involved, that couldn't be good. Why does he always come up in their conversations?

"What is a clark or a kal? And what does Superman have to do with your living in secret?"

"Those are his names, Kal, actually Kal-El is his birth name, and Clark is his human name."

"Human name? You mean he lives among them as well?"

"Yes, he was raised as a human, it's the only life he knows, he's lived it his whole life, only a select few know that he is also Superman."

Hippolyta didn't like this at all, Diana had always said he was noble and honest. "How could you be so blind? If he's been lying to the world what makes you think he won't lie to you?"

"He's never lied to me. He wouldn't do that."

"So the titan from the stars, sees himself as no more than a human man. He is a liar, he's been influenced by the descendants of our oppressors, he's no different than Heracles."

"He's nothing like Heracles! Do not compare him to that animal!" Diana jumped up and screamed. Anyone within earshot turned and looked, did the Princess just scream at the Queen? Even Diana was shocked, the anger came from nowhere.

"Why do you defend him so?" Hippolyta was shocked. But she would not be intimidated. She stood herself and looked Diana directly in the eyes. How dare her daughter have the audacity to raise her voice to her? Over a man no less?

"I'm sorry. I should not have yelled at you." Diana turned away, and looked up at the sky, towards the setting sun.

"What is it about this man? You have told me over and over again that he is your friend, and now you raise your voice at me over him."

Diana sighed, she figured it couldn't get any worse. "I defend him because... He and I are in a relationship." She slowly turned back to gauge her mother's reaction.

Hippolyta simply grunted, Diana couldn't tell if her mother was more annoyed or disappointed. "So he is courting you?" She asked softly.

"Less formal than that, he is my boyfriend, and I am his girlfriend. We're dating." Courting was more involved than what they were doing, courting was more like being engaged, they hadn't discussed marriage as it wasn't in the stratosphere in either of their immediate future plans.

"How long has this been going on?"  
"Several weeks."

"Have you been intimate with him?" Hippolyta asked carefully.

Diana had been mentally preparing herself for this question from the beginning, but that still didn't make it any less uncomfortable. "No."

"Good." The Queen was relieved. "Then you must sever your ties to him."

"What? Why?"

"You've said it yourself, he is the most powerful man of all. Men of that stature seek women, often many women, to satisfy them. If you will not, he will surely find another woman to keep his bed warm. Diana, must I remind you that the bedchamber is where the true monster reveals himself. You must not give him the opportunity to use your body as he sees fit. Let him have the silly women of Man's World, spare yourself of that fate."

"He would never do that, and besides, he can't be with a human woman. Not without hurting her anyway."

Based on the look on the queen's face, Diana figured she did more harm than good with her last statement. She had mishandled that entire exchange, her mother mistook everything she said. In reality she had only fleetingly thought of sleeping with Clark, but her mother wouldn't think so, not now.

"He would never do that?" Hippolyta scoffed. "How can you be sure? Heracles and his men came to us in peace, then turned on us. Is he really so different?"

"Yes, he is. He admitted it under the lasso of truth. And without the lasso forcing it from him, he's never spoken of intimacy with me in any way."

"So he hasn't tried to seduce you?"

"No."

"You would lay with him willingly?"

Diana paused. "I haven't decided yet."

Diana desperately wanted to end this conversation, as expected, it wasn't going well. She empathized with her mother's fear and pain, she wished she could help. In Man's World there were women who had dealt with the same things her mother had, she found that the psychological effects of a victim of sexual assault could be devastating. Her mother had dealt with that pain for 3,000 years, her view of relationships has been warped, perhaps irreparably. As Wonder Woman, Diana did everything she could to prevent that type of attack from happening. So did Clark and the rest of the League. No one should** ever **be victim to such evil.

"Of all the men in the world, why must you choose him?" Hippolyta softened a little, but not much.

"Because I trust him, more than any other man. Since I left Themyscira he has been my best friend and my greatest ally. We have fought side by side on many occasion, he won't allow any harm to come to me. Nor I him."

"You say he's more powerful than you. What will you do if he turns against you?"

"I can defeat him, I know his weakness."

"Diana, I do not approve of this."

"I know you don't. I did not come here to get your approval. I was simply telling you the truth."

Diana turned, and flew from the balcony. Her mother worried about Superman attacking her daughter. Diana couldn't help but think about a time when it was the other way around.

* * *

_2 years ago_

_Together the two heroes landed the malfunctioning airplane. For the life of her she couldn't figure out why he was there. She was preventing the machine from falling and killing everyone inside when he flew in from the blue and essentially took over. She didn't need his help, she didn't want his help, and she definitely didn't want to speak with him. _  
_"So you're Wonder Woman. They've been talking about you for weeks, I'm glad to finally meet you. I'm Superman." He said with a big smile on his face and extended his hand to her to shake._

_How dare this this foul creature try to touch her! She smacked his hand away, punched him in the gut, and kicked him on the side of the head. Before he could even react she looped her lasso around him. He couldn't get out, but he struggled mightily. The men of this world weren't a threat to her, but this one was powerful, she had to be on guard. _

_"Demigod. Were you born of woman?" Demigods were known to have whimsical origins, perhaps she could glean a weakness in him._

_"Yes?" He answered, he didn't want to, his response was oddly involuntary. "But I'm not a demigod." _

_"Silence! You will only speak when spoken to. What was the name given to you upon your birth?"_

_"Kal-El"_

_ "Kal-El?" That wasn't the name of any god or demigod she knew. Perhaps he's one of the Bana's Egyptian gods. Either way he couldn't be trusted. "Why do you wish to put your filthy hands on me? Do you wish to force yourself upon body? I hope not for your sake, because I can assure you will not live long enough to do so!" _

_"No, I would never do anything to any woman against her will." The rope burned hot, it was is if his words were being forced from him. "But if you let me, I would make sweet love to you. Argh! That is not what I wanted to say."_

_Diana didn't know what make sweet love meant, but it was probably a euphemism for something cruel and foul. All men were the same, evil, and with only one thing on their mind. So she punched him, un looped him from the lasso and punched him repeatedly in the head. _

_ She dominated the fight, he didn't try to strike her, he was on the defensive the whole time, this confused Diana. Why didn't he try to dominate her? Eventually, people came rushing up towards them. While he seemed to be trying desperately to get away she wouldn't let him. She picked him up and body slammed him, jumped on top and threw punch after punch at him. _

_ "Stop!" Diana heard a voice say. "Don't hurt Superman!" The voice began cracking, and Diana turned to see a little girl, maybe 5 or 6 years old holding her mother's hand. She was in tears. Diana stood up slowly, looking around. There were men and women, old and young, surrounding them. But the girl's tears hurt Diana, a little sister was upset, and it was because of her. Without saying a word, she went straight up in the air, as fast as she could. _

_ The next few weeks, the media was very hard on Wonder Woman, she was berated by almost every news outlet in the world for attacking Superman without provocation. She didn't understand why even the female broadcasters were so against her. Many thought she was another super villain who wanted Superman gone. But he did the unthinkable, he stood up for her. He did his best to convince them that their fight was nothing more than a misunderstanding. Eventually all was forgiven. He was a strange man, this Kal-El._

* * *

The whereabouts of any Amazon was often easy to figure out, at a young age Diana discovered that is she often didn't have to ask more than 6 of her sisters before she found someone who knew where to find who she was looking for. The 3rd person she asked knew where Donna was. Her formula still worked.

Donna was at the healing isle, being treated by Epione. Before she took off though, she felt like there were eyes on her from everywhere. That didn't make any sense.

When she got to the healing isle she found Donna laying on an examining table with a hand sized bruise on her right arm, that could only mean one thing. She had been training with Kara, only a punch from a Kryptonian could do that type of damage to Donna. When Donna saw her she jumped up.

"Ooooh! You are scandalous!"

"What?" Diana wondered.

"You and Superman!"

"I just told mother less than 5 minutes ago. How did you know that?" Did everyone else know too? Was that why everyone was staring at her silently when she was on her way to Donna.

"Kara overheard it, and told me."

"Where was Kara when she heard it?" Diana asked.

"We were doing combat training in the yard, she said she heard you and mother talking about Superman and that you were courting him. I think that's why she punched me so hard."

Diana always wondered how far away Clark could be and still hear what was going on, he would never give her a definitive answer, now she had an idea. "When I was on my way here everyone kept staring at me. Who else did you tell?"

"Nobody." Donna looked at the floor sheepishly. She knew Diana wasn't going to buy that, she didn't need her lasso to know when Donna was denying something. She was about to speak again when Epione walked in.

"Do you know too Epione?" Diana asked immediately.

"Yes I do Princess."

"I take it you don't approve as well?"

"It is not my place to approve or disapprove. But you know my feelings. My only concern is your safety."

"Were all men so evil?" Donna suddenly asked. "Did all of them have evil and brutality in their hearts? Diana says they all aren't so bad now."

"Tylemarchus." Epione said after a long pause.

"What?" Diana asked.

"Tylemarchus, he was another healer. We used to spend evenings conversing about the practice of medicine. Sometimes he challenged me, other times he accepted my methods. He used to visit me regularly, for many months. I never felt threatened by him, he never forced himself upon me. Gods, it must have been centuries since I last thought of him." Epione sighed, almost like it was painful to remember.

"So he wasn't one of the men who attacked with Heracles?" asked Donna.

"No. He was killed before that."

"He was your friend." Diana spoke up.

Epione sat silently, thinking. "Perhaps he was."

"It's like that with Kal and I. He's my friend, my best friend. In man's world, many believe the strongest relationships are built on friendship. Maybe ours could be. I just wish mother could understand that."

"I am not without reason." Hippolyta said walking through the door suddenly. She had been listening outside the door for several minutes. Arriving with the us of the Sandals of Hermes. "I am open to the possibility that men have changed in the centuries it's been since i last saw one. Perhaps your man has the nobility you speak of. Since you feel so strongly about this matter I will humor you. Diana, I will meet your suitor. When you next see him, inform him he is officially invited to Themyscira."

"Oh thank you mother!" Diana beamed.


	7. Chapter 7

Clark Kent sat at his desk doing his initial write up for an interview he earlier conducted with a local high school robotics team. They had won several competitions throughout the state, and were looking for funding to compete on a national stage. He hoped they could make their goal, their robot was very interesting. He'd have to make sure Bruce saw the article, maybe he'd donate a few dollars to the cause.

The newsroom was quiet, for a newsroom anyway. Lois and Cat were at their desks doing their own work. Lois hadn't said anything related to Diana since that first day and Cat hadn't said anything to him at all about it since he called her out. Given her flirty interactions with him in the past, he assumed she was avoiding him now that he's off the market. Still, he made sure to always be on guard, they could show up at anytime and make his work day miserable.

He had a routine, he would write up the article right away when it was fresh in his mind, go to the water cooler, have 2 cups of water, and return to his desk to read over it. He was filling his second cup when he heard something that would throw a monkey wrench into his day.

"I'm looking for Clark Kent's desk. Is he here?" The familiar voice said.

"If you follow me he should be right over this way. What was your name?"

"Diana Prince."

"Well, there's that." Clark said softly to himself.

Clark downed his water and quickly returned to his desk. The person leading Diana broke away when he saw Clark. Diana was dressed in a manner that was similar to the way Clark did on the weekends. Jeans, and a long sleeve sweater with a button up dress shirt underneath, everybody in the newsroom knew this, and Clark figured they would surmise that he's dating essentially the female version of himself. The gossiping at the planet knew no end, and unfortunately for Clark, he could hear everything they said.

"Hi Clark!" Diana stopped about 3 feet in front of him with an ear to ear smile. She was happy to see him to tell the news she had, but wasn't sure how to greet him with so many people around.

"Hello Diana." Clark responded. He took note that Lois was trying to look like she wasn't staring at them from around her computer screen, no doubt she was trying to discover who this woman was. There were also several others who craned their necks to see the beautiful woman who had come to see Clark. He decided to make it easy, by stepping towards Diana and giving her a quick peck of a kiss on her forehead. PDA wasn't really his thing, but this served it's purpose.

Diana was shocked at the kiss, she certainly wasn't expecting it. She tried to act as if it was normal, to everyone else it would be. She wanted to ask him about it, but this wasn't the time or the place.

To Lois, that was all the confirmation she needed. This was Diana, this was the woman that caused Clark to come out of his barn long enough to speak his mind. She'd give the lovebirds a chance to chat, but then she was going in.

"So Clark are you busy?" Diana asked.

"Busy-ish. Why what's up?"

"I just wanted to talk to you, and I didn't want to wait until you finished work."

"Did everything go okay at home?" He stepped closer, and spoke quieter. "Should I be on the lookout for an amazon lynch mob?"

"No. In fact the exact opposite. My mother wants to meet you, she said that you are officially invited to Themyscira at your earliest convenience."

"What?" Clark was dumbfounded, that was the last thing he expected. "You want me to..."

"Hey Clark who's your lady friend?" Lois bogarted her way into the conversation as she often did. They had enough small talk. The closer Lois got the more beautiful Diana became, she also realized Diana was really tall, at least 6 feet. She wasn't even wearing heels!

"This is Diana Prince, my girlfriend. Diana this is Lois Lane." Clark introduced.

"Hello Diana it's a pleasure to meet you." Lois greeted Diana with a handshake, which was returned warmly.

Diana was always interested in Lois Lane. Clark always talked her up, he even suggested she allow Lois into Wonder Woman's press circle, but Diana choose him instead. She figured since Lois got all the Superman stories on a platter, Clark could get the Wonder Woman stories. She also knew that at one time Clark was a lovesick puppy over Lois. Wanting to be closer to her, but unable to reconcile the fact that she wanted Superman and not Clark. Lois was pretty, but much shorter than expected. No doubt she was just as brash as Clark had described. Not that that mattered, most of the women she knew were brash.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well. Clark has told me all about you."

"He has? Nothing bad I hope." Lois took part small talk between them, but there was something about this woman. She was as beautiful as Cat described, maybe even more so. Lois got the feeling that she'd seen this woman before and that there was something else about her. This wasn't the type of woman who would actually be with Clark. Lois recalled that Diana was young, fresh out of college, and hadn't found a job yet. She had the type of beauty where she could latch onto so high rolling rich guy and live in luxury until she's old and wrinkled, so what was she doing with Clark? And why did she look so damn familiar?

"So how did you two kids meet?" Lois asked.

"At the gym." Clark said with a smile. He thought this story was a stroke of genius on his part. In his eyes it held a nice parallel to he and Diana's actual first meeting. "She was on the bench press machine, and she needed a spotter."

"I didn't need a spotter, you just wanted to talk to me." Diana argued. She wasn't such a fan of this story, she wasn't exactly proud of their meeting.

"You needed a spotter, you could not lift that thing. Talking to you was just a bonus."

"I blew him off at first, but eventually I came around. Now he's my best friend."

"Oh isn't that lovely." Lois said sarcastically. She didn't trust Diana, she may look like Clark's type, but there's something wrong with this picture. "Well Diana it was nice to finally meet you. I need to get back to work, do yourself a favor and don't let Smallville here bore you with too much corn talk."

"Corn talk? I don't unders... oh because he grew up on a farm. Don't worry, I won't."

Lois walked back to her desk, leaving Clark and Diana alone again.

"Would you like to go to lunch?" She asked.

"I already had lunch, I really need to get back to work."

"Oh, I see. What time do you think you'll be finished?"

"Unless something comes up I won't be getting out of here until at least 6. Can we talk then?"

"Sure. Come by my place, I can get us some food."

"Sounds good, I'll call you when I'm leaving here."

Clark walked her to the elevator, before they parted he dropped another kiss on her forehead. Not that she was complaining, but she wondered why he waited until now? They'd been alone enough times that he could have kissed her, she would have let him. Maybe it was the fact that she kissed him first, maybe he felt more free to do so? Or did it have to do with the fact that other people could see? She left the Daily Planet building and walked down the block. The daily planet was in the middle of Metropolis square, she would have to walk quite a way to find a place to take to the sky. She took the opportunity to observe her surroundings again, she wasn't sure why, maybe it was Clark's kiss, maybe it was her mothers prodding, but she noticed that sex was everywhere. On billboards, ads on the sides of busses every other tv commercial, everywhere. She already was very aware that Man's World was full of sex, as Julia told her early on, 'sex sells' and that with her figure and revealing Amazonian armor she would always be right in the middle of it.

It was disconcerting at first, but over time was easily shrugged off and ignored. With Clark, it was harder to do, which was odd. Rich men like Morris Jackson, tried to wine and dine her, some sent gifts and wrote letters professing their love for her, and others were rude and vulgar about the perverted things they wanted. All these things served as a serious turnoff. Most of those men didn't know how close they were to getting their skulls cracked, but Clark, he made her think about romance and intimacy, now more than ever, and his method for doing so was very strange: he didn't do anything at all. In the early days of the Justice League, Hal and Wally (particularly Hal) tried to impress her with heroism and bravery. The went out of their way to get her to notice them, but Clark never did. He never tried to call attention to himself, everything he did seemed sincere. It was even more evident in his civilian life, he impressed her without even trying. Before she accepted her attraction to him she thought he put her under some magic spell, but she was immune to mind control so that couldn't have been it. This was genuine, she felt it strongly, it felt good, it felt right. He would never do the horrible things Heracles did to her mother. Her only hope was that he felt it too. She thought he did, he kissed her in plain view of everyone he worked with. But did that mean anything? People kissed all the time, and on the forehead was rather ambiguous. It could have been the greeting of old friends, that is what they were after all.

She finally found a secluded spot and took off, instead of going back to her apartment she flew high enough to be transported to the watchtower. Maybe there was something that needed her attention before Clark would be free.

* * *

Nobody knew that Clark could hear their whispers as clear as if they were talking on a megaphone standing six feet away from him. It was just as he suspected, a handful of conversations about the sexy librarian Clark was dating. Sexy librarian? Was that what she looked like? Cat had said it before, but it was circulating around as if she'd told everyone already. Which Clark supposed wasn't out of the realm of possibility. The gossiping felt like high school again, who's got a crush on who, who's lying about what base they got to. He thought that when he grew up and got a real job that stuff would quit, but it was even worse. Apparently the more you grow up, the more you realize everyone else doesn't. He was reading through his robotics article for the 3rd time, making necessary changes when his phone rang. He didn't recognize the number, but the area code told him the call was from Smallville.

"This is Clark Kent."

"Hello Clark, my name is Tess Kiltcher with the Smallville high school reunion committee, I was calling to inform you that your 10 year reunion party will be held next month on the 16th, at the high school and we'd love for you to come. Do you think you can make it?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure." How ironic he was just thinking about high school when this call comes. "Do I need to RSVP or anything like that or is this just something I can show up to unannounced."

"You can show up, but we prefer if you let us know in advance so we'll know how much food to order and such. If you could let us know by next week that would be great."

"Okay, that sounds good, so I'll let you know by next week." His first thought upon hanging up the phone was that he could take Diana to the reunion. Then he laughed at himself for that thought, she was making quite an impression him.

* * *

Clark called, he was on his way, which was good because the food she ordered was getting cold. She got them quite a spread of fried chicken, biscuits, macaroni and cheese and coleslaw, Zatanna recommended the small takeout only restaurant. Hopefully Clark liked it. He shouldn't take too long, the only time it took to get there was finding a safe spot to fly off without being seen. She sat on the sofa waiting for the buzzer, but instead, her phone rang. It was Clark.

"Hey."

"I'm on the balcony, come open up the door." He said.

She quickly headed into her bedroom and opened up the door for him. They each hung up when she arrived.

"I need to make you one of my door locks."

"What kind of door lock?"

"It's a special thing I use, I can lock the door, but it's a special knob that takes super strength to turn."

"Oh." Diana said. That's why she never had any trouble getting into his apartment the times she flew in.

Suddenly, Diana became hyper aware that they were alone in her bedroom. Her earlier thoughts of growing intimacy with Clark came rushing back. She had to shake the thoughts away, the touchy situation with her mother would be made worse if she didn't.

"Let's eat. I ordered chicken from a place called Reeves."

Clark had heard of the place but had never been. "Fried chicken sounds pretty good right now."

Clark didn't speak while they were fixing their plates, Diana couldn't figure out the look on his face. Initially she was happy and excited about her mother inviting Clark to meet her. Once her head cleared, reality kicked in. Why did she suddenly change her mind? Would she accept him? Would he be safe from her or any other Amazon? Was he willing to go through that?

"So. My mother has invited you to Themyscira." She started.

"Yep." Clark hesitated before speaking again "Is this good or bad?"

"I can't be sure. She was initially upset when I told her about us, but later on she changed her mind and wanted to meet you. I'm not really sure what this could mean."

"I gotta be honest. I'm not keen on visiting 'the island of misandry'." He said, using air quotes.

"It's not misandry. They don't hate men. They just cannot trust them. You know why."

"I get the logic of it, but it doesn't stop me from being nervous. By the way this macaroni and cheese is awful."

"It is? I'm sorry I didn't know."

"I'm actually quite a snob about macaroni and cheese as you'll likely find out the longer we're together. But, I digress... What's the likelihood of your mother trying to kill or otherwise hurt me while I'm there?"

"I won't let her hurt you."

"That's what they all say. I've been in this situation before, and it wasn't pleasant then. Except this time I've got a real threat. Henry Lang couldn't actually hurt me. Your mother's got a gauntlet of Atlas and a magic sword that might give me some problems."

"Henry Lang?"

"Lana Lang's father. The first time I came over to take her on a date he was conveniently cleaning his shotguns. I was quite nervous at the time, at that point I didn't know that a shotgun wouldn't hurt me."

Diana laughed, she wished she could have seen him when he was younger.

"What should I tell her?"

"Tell her the truth, we don't have anything to hide. If she or anyone else on the island tries to attack you I'll be right there with you, and I'd expect Kara will too. Maybe Donna, but I can't be sure."

"Terrific." He said sarcastically. Diana as a defender was a reassuring thought, but he still didn't like it. "So when do you want to do this?"

"Soon. This weekend perhaps."

"Alright, so there it is, I'll meet your mother."

"Good."

"And if I survive the meeting, you'll then be required to meet mine."

"Of course I will."

Clark told her about the phone call and his 10 year high school reunion. It was just a few weeks away, and Clark figured that would be the best time to be seen back in Smallville. Also, it was a good time to bring Diana as there would be fewer questions about why a woman was with him. They would assume that they were dating and he brought her to see his hometown. He figured there would be fewer marriage questions as well. The less speculation about his love life, the better.

Diana was excited about the prospect of meeting his parents, she'd heard so much about them she was almost surprised they'd never crossed paths before. She didn't have a clue high school reunions but figured Clark would fill her in. All of that however, was hinged on his meeting with her mother. This could either be a speed bump between them, or a roadblock. She hoped for the best, but was planning for the worst.


	8. Chapter 8

Hovering above Themyscira, Diana was nervous. She was running through scenarios in her head. Best case scenario was that Clark, Diana and the Queen share a civil conversation, and Hippolyta allows their relationship to blossom without threats of intervention. Worst case scenario, she's banished for associating with him and they are forced to fight their way off the island. The chances of either scenario playing out that way was unlikely, but she was prepared. What she wasn't prepared for, was a choice. Her mother and sisters or Clark? She didn't want to choose, she prayed she wouldn't have to. She wanted both, and would do everything in her power to have both.

Clark was kicking himself for being so scared. He stared down death rays, omega beams and kryptonite warheads without breaking a sweat. One woman can't be that scary. There was no guarantee she would hate him, maybe she would be embracing. What is there to not like? He was the perfect gentlemen, everyone elses mother liked him, why shouldn't Diana's? Everything Hippolyta was afraid of was based on something that happened centuries ago. Of course there were the other Amazons to consider. They might not be so inviting, Diana warned him to be aware of potentially magic tipped arrows flying at him, his eyes and ears had to be sharp.

"Let's do this." He finally said.

"Let's."

Clark took her outstretched hand. She had to lead him through the barrier, if they got separated on the way through it would take a long time to find each other again. Diana flew quickly, he could hear her heart rate increase, and feel her palms get a little sweaty. She was as nervous as he was, he was glad not to be the only one.

* * *

They landed softly in front of the senate building, Diana was given instructions to bring him there. He could hear the hostility in in the voices of the Amazons before he landed. He wished he could block them out, but he had to keep his senses sharp for the immediate future. There was a myriad of new sounds from all directions, from a number of different languages, to work being done, to the animals in the forest, some of which had to be magical in origin. There was also another sound, a light whooshing sound, coming towards him. An arrow! Seeing it at just the last second he reached up and caught it all on instinct. Once he got his wits about him he realized he wasn't the only one holding the arrow, Diana caught it as well. He inspected the tip, simple iron, it wouldn't have hurt him, but he was glad that Diana was clearly on his side.

"Artemis."

"What?"

"Artemis shot this arrow." Diana stepped in front of him blocking the direction the arrow came and searched the area from which the arrow was fired, Artemis was stealthy, and would be difficult to spot.

Perched on top of a building on the other side of the road, Artemis crouched low. That first arrow was just a warning shot, the princess couldn't see her yet, she hoped the first arrow would draw Diana away from him, giving her a clean shot with a magic tipped arrowhead. She reached for another arrow, when she felt a gush of wind at her back. Her arrows were gone! So was her longbow! What just happened? Then she felt herself picked up off the roof and flown to the ground. Once there she realized that Kara had disarmed her, and Donna had flown her to the ground. Kara was holding her bow and arrows, staring her down with an angry look. Donna on the other hand, after she dropped her on the ground seemed to pay her no no mind, she seemed to be concentrating on Diana and Superman. Donna scurried away, but Kara stayed, unstringing the longbow, and staring Artemis directly in the eyes. Kara was fierce, she had a 'I wish you would challenge me' look on her face. Artemis was probably the top warrior on the entire island, but she couldn't match up with Kara, Diana or Donna. She would have to stand down.

Seeing the young girl approach Clark knew immediately it was Donna, even if he hadn't seen her flying it would be obvious. While they didn't look exactly alike, she and Diana were unmistakably sisters. She was clearly younger than Diana, maybe about 16 or 17 years old, about the same age as Kara. Maybe an inch or so shorter than Diana, with the same long wavy dark hair, and similar complexion. She also had the biggest smile of anyone he'd ever seen in his life.

"Hi Superman!" She said excitedly.

"Hello, you must be Princess Donna." Clark smiled and bowed his head slightly to her.

"I am. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Diana... Is he handsome?"

Clark was taken aback, that was the last thing he expected anyone to say. He thought it was hilarious, but the look on Diana's face was even more hilarious. It's a look he'd seen many times, most often from parents chiding their children after they've done something embarrassing.

When Diana didn't answer she asked again. "Is he handsome Diana?"

"Yes Donna, he is." Diana said dryly.

Donna turned back to him and gave him another once over, trying to decide for herself. It was strange being scrutinized in such a way, but he chalked it up to the fact that Donna had never seen a man before. She was looking him up and down, he suddenly wished he wasn't wearing his Superman suit, he felt exposed in it, and he didn't want to corrupt the young girls mind. Before he could speak again Kara rushed up and hugged him. Lifting him off the ground.

It's great to see you again Clark!"

"Good to see you too. I appreciate you help over there." He said looking over in the direction of Artemis who was glaring at them from afar. Wishing his head wasn't so exposed with Kara pinning his arms to his sides.

"No problem. Artemis over there isn't going to do anything while I'm around." She said as she put him back down.

"And thank you for your help as well Princess Donna."

"You're welcome." Donna still had a wide grin plastered on her face. It made Clark feel slightly awkward. Luckily Diana broke everything up.

"Is mother waiting for us?"

"She should be inside."

"Thank you. Come on Clark, let's go before anyone else takes a shot at you."

* * *

Clark relaxed a little bit once inside the building, for the first time since he arrived he was able to observe his surroundings. It was quite spectacular, it looked unreal, the architecture, the art. It even stood up against his fortress, and it's highly advanced alien technology. This place would be a historian's treasure chest. If this land were ever opened up to the rest of the world, every inch of this place would be explored. Until then, they only had Diana's word that Themyscira even existed. Since it wasn't on any map, or detectable by any radar, some people didn't believe her. In fact there were conspiracy theories that she was really a Kryptonian, sent to rule the earth alongside Superman.

Diana opened the door to the senate room, and Clark finally got a good look at the Queen. She was sitting on a throne, wearing what he assumed was royal robes of purple and lavender. A golden belt, crown and bracelets that were significantly more ornate than what Diana wore, a long scepter and the magic sword he needed to be aware of at all times. He also saw the striking resemblance to Diana and Donna, it was obvious the three were related. Clark knew she was several thousand years old, but she didn't look a day over 35. Which was odd, because every other Amazon he saw looked younger than that. Diana did tell him once that her mother was the oldest of the Amazons, but he never knew what that meant. She wore a stern look on her face, it was the same look that Diana got in the middle of a battle. It was the same look that Diana had when she beat him up that first time. That 'don't mess with me, or I will end you' look. Clark didn't see this meeting going very well, but he was going to do his damndest to make a good impression.

"Greetings your majesty, I am Clark Kent. I must say it is truly an honor to be invited to this beautiful paradise." He said, lowering his head to her and speaking in his most diplomatic tone.

Hippolyta didn't speak, her face didn't change. She hadn't seen a man in so long she nearly forgot what one looked like. She had to admit, he was handsome, very much so. Perhaps enhanced by his clean shaven face, which accentuated his strong jaw line. Most of the men she had known wore a thick beard. He was noticeably taller than Diana, and incredibly muscular, his clothing did nothing to hide that fact. He also wore the same colors as Diana, in fact, standing next to each other they looked like they belonged together.

It was too much, he has to have done something malicious to make her want him, he lured her somehow. When she invited him here, she accepted the possibility that men weren't as evil as they were in the past. But upon seeing him, she decided that possibility is extremely low. She would discover his secrets and end this today.

"Mother, this is my _boyfriend_ Clark. Aren't you going to greet him as you would and honored guest?" Diana said defiantly. There wasn't much fanfare to their custom of greeting a guest. It was a fancy way of telling her mother to acknowledge his existence.

"Clark Kent... Welcome."

She may have spoken the words, but Clark didn't feel very welcome. The queens expression continued to be stone cold.

"Princess..."

"Yes mother?"

"Leave us."

Diana hesitated, this wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want to leave him alone, she was confident that he would keep his cool. She had no choice however, by using her title, the queen reminded Diana that she was just that, a princess. Who had to obey the orders of the queen. She retreated, but not before taking Clark by the hand and looking him in the eyes.

"Just be yourself." She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and left. He heard both door close as she went.

"I don't trust you." Hippolyta began.

"You don't know me."

"I know enough."

Clark didn't know how to respond.

Hippolyta stood up from her throne, and began circling Clark. Never removing her hand from the hilt of her sword.

"I know that you are a man, and I know that men only desire one thing from a woman."

"I'm not sure I understand." Actually Clark did understand, and he was pretty sure where she was going with this, but he'd let her have her say.

"Diana has told me of your power, her tales suggest you're even more powerful than your cousin."

"Yes, I am." That was obvious, he'd been living under the yellow sun for 27 years, Kara's only been here for one.

"She has informed me that you feel the women of your world are too weak to share your bed."

"Hey hold on, it is not like that. Not at all." He definitely knew where she was going now, she decided that his goal was to get Diana in bed, but that simply wasn't the case.

"But you see my daughter as able to withstand your strength, do you not?"

"Your majesty you're interpreting this all wrong." Clark felt uncomfortable, Hippolyta wasn't pulling any punches, her words made him feel dirty, despite the fact that he'd done nothing wrong.

In reality he did think Diana was strong enough for him, but he wasn't going to say that, not in those words. He was very glad Diana's lasso wasn't around, this way they wouldn't be forced out of him.

"That is not the nature of our relationship. It's never been, and quite frankly I don't know if it ever will be. I didn't expect this current situation to ever occur between us."

"What do you mean?"

"This was her idea."

"Hers?"

"Yes, I wasn't planning on us being together. With her upbringing, with the history of the Amazons, I figured friendship was all I would ever get from her. In the beginning I didn't even expect that much."

"The beginning?" Hippolyta was confused, Diana approached him? That couldn't be right.

"The first day we met, she was was...distrustful for lack of a better word. She basically beat me up. Whoever taught her how to fight did a great job, her right hook is a thing of beauty."

He noticed Hippolyta's face shift slightly, if he didn't know any better he'd think it was a look of pride.

"It was I who taught her the art of battle, I am the master on this land, do not think you can overpower me."

"I wouldn't dream of it, I wouldn't want to go up against Diana by herself. I definitely wouldn't want to face you, and the entire island." Clark noticed the theme of the conversation, it was clear that Hippolyta was compensating for something. Her strong stance was a defense against fear and total humiliation. He felt awful for her, she had lived through unimaginable horror. His presence was probably bringing back terrible memories for her, of a time she wanted to forget. One might think it would be easy to get over it, living in a paradise full of sisters who understood the pain, because they dealt with it too. Maybe this wasn't the best place to heal? She had never had to face her fears since then, without men there was no perceived threat. Also without them there was no way to know that men and women weren't at war with each other. He could only do his best to belay her fears that Diana would suffer the way she had.

* * *

Outside the senate, Diana was with Donna and Kara. Diana wasn't happy, with both her mother and her sister. She was angry at her mother for not being included in her meeting with Clark and at Donna for her behavior towards him.

"Is he handsome Diana?' That's what you thought to ask? Of the limitless options for what you could have said to him, that's the best you could come up with?" Diana's frustration was palpable.

"Gods Diana, what do you expect me to say? All my life I've been told that men are evil, smelly beasts with nothing but cruelty in their hearts. Then you show up with this one, someone you've talked about constantly since you left Themyscira, who doesn't look anything like what I've been taught about men. What was I supposed to say? I did stop Artemis from trying to hurt him, that should count for something."

"Yes I know, and I thank you, but I bet Kara had to convince you to do it."

"That's true." Kara said, speaking for the first time in several minutes, she had been trying unsuccessfully to listen in to Hippolyta and Clark's conversation. "It took me all day to convince her to help me in case I had to protect Clark."

"I hope I don't get in trouble for that. I want to see the world someday. Knowing mother she'd confine me to the palace for the next thousand years." Donna said.

"She won't do that. I just wish they'd hurry up!" Diana growled in frustration.

"It hasn't been that long. I'm sure everything is fine. Clark is quick enough to get away from her sword. I'm sure he's being charming." Kara said, hoping to ease Diana a little bit.

* * *

"So tell me Clark Kent. What is the nature of your relationship with my daughter?"

"It's based on friendship."

"Yes. Diana said that as well. What does that mean?"

"It means things have progressed over time. We're kindred spirits, we walk a similar path, we have the same goals, and we try to accomplish them in the same way. We understand each other, until I got to know her, I didn't know anyone who could understand what it was like to live in a world that seems like it's made of paper. For years I felt I'd be alone forever, but with her I don't feel that way."

"Forever? You're immortal?"

"Maybe, maybe not. I'm not really sure, I haven't shown any signs of aging for several years, every type of test I know to do, suggests that I won't age anymore. When Diana first told me she was immortal I had a hope for the future, that I hadn't had for years. I don't know what will happen between us, I don't know if we'll stay together, but even the slightest possibility that I might have what my parents have, it's an incredible thought."

"Your parents, what do they have?"

"They've been married for 33 years, they showed me that two is better than one, the love they have for each other seems unbreakable. If one falls, the other picks them up. Diana and I have had that mentality in battle, one of us can be defeated, but together we can be unbreakable. Maybe that could translate into a life together, maybe it can't. I understand your concern, and if I were you I'd probably feel just as you do, but I can assure you that I would never do anything to jeopardize a future that involves Diana in some fashion. They say that 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' I'll bet a furious Amazon would be 10 times worse."

"Do you love her?" Hippolyta suddenly asked, she wouldn't believe him if he said yes, but was curious as to what he would say.

"I don't know. Being with her is refreshing, she accepts me for who I truly am. She understands me in a way no one else can. I guess if I think about it, I could see myself falling in love with her. But who knows, anything could happen, that's what dating is for. I guess we'll find out."

This man was clever. He was trying to convince Diana he was a noble man, and so far Diana believed him. She realized that she wouldn't get Diana to leave him by commanding her, she would have to realize who he was for herself. She had to trust Diana to see it in time, and when he did reveal his true nature, he would have an entire nation of Amazons to deal with.

"I still don't trust you."

Clark dropped his head in frustration, he thought he had made some progress. Clearly not.

"Is there any way I can earn your trust?"

"I don't approve of you and my daughter being together. If you never spoke to her again perhaps I could trust you. If you were truly honorable you would end your relationship at the demand of a mother. But you won't, so therefore you aren't." She then drew her sword, and pointed it towards his neck.

Clark stiffened, ready to zip out of her reach at any second, but he didn't want to look intimidated.

"Since I cannot force my daughter to leave you I send you away with this: if you ever hurt my daughter in any way, there is nothing that will stop me from ending your life in the most agonizing way you could ever imagine. Now get out."

Clark didn't respond, what could he say? He just turned and left.

Diana finally saw him emerge from the building. She knew his dejected posture immediately. It hadn't gone well. She rushed to him, she could tell by the look on his face that he didn't want to talk about it. When he finally looked up at her, he simply gave her a wry smile, and flew away. Diana waited, she knew he couldn't leave yet, since he needed her to lead him out of the barrier. She was trying to decide what she would say to her mother, when she saw her stepping out of the senate. The queen had a satisfied look on her face, it finally occurred to Diana why her mother didn't demand to use the lasso of truth on him. She didn't want the truth, this way she could take whatever he said and twist it however she wanted. Diana felt betrayed, by her own mother. She refused to accept him simply because he was a man, at this point her fears weren't even rational. Diana decided she didn't want to speak to her mother. She simply looked at her, with just a look she expressed all the disappointment betrayal she felt. Diana then took to the sky, following Clark. She grabbed his hand and led him through the barrier, feeling his warmth, she decided she definitely didn't want to let him go. If that meant not speaking to her mother for awhile then so be it.

* * *

_A/N: This chapter was kind of difficult to write. I'm not big on writing drama, I much prefer the relaxed comedic stuff. I'll be back in my comfort zone in the coming chapters, which will probably mean quicker updates. _


	9. Chapter 9

They sat on Clark's couch in silence, both deep in thought. Since he told Diana what her mother said to him, they'd both been stewing. Clark was mulling over what he said to Hippolyta about his relationship with Diana, things that he hadn't even told Diana yet. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to tell her now, Diana might be receptive, but now he potentially had a nation of Amazons against him. How could he cope with that?

"How could she say that? There's no way I would stop speaking to you." Diana finally said, breaking up the quiet.

Clark didn't respond. He really didn't know what to say.

"Maybe I'll stop talking to her. Just for a few hundred years, I'll see how she likes that!"

"Don't do that." Clark said calmly.

"Why not? She doesn't care about me. Why should I care about her?"

"She's your mother, of course she cares about you. I don't think she likes me though..." Clark tried to joke, but it was clear Diana was in no mood to laugh. So he decided to switch gears.

"I think your mother is terrified, scared out of her mind. She relates everything to what happened to her, and she can't handle the thought of that happening to you. I get it, I really do. I think your mother needs help, a lot of your sisters do too. The things they said while I was there. They weren't angry with me, they were afraid. Your sisters have lived in paradise, while they have had peace, they haven't had healing. And your mother may be worst of all, because she blames herself for everything. It is not her fault, and the sooner she realizes that, the better off she'll be. The worst thing you can do to her is stop speaking to her. Not over me, because I don't think it's about me. I think it's about her facing her fears."

Diana shifted on the sofa, moving closer to him, so she could put her arms around him and lay her head on his shoulder. He was always so perceptive, and he always knew just what to say.

He had given her a new perspective, she hadn't considered the fact that her mother could be afraid. Amazons didn't feel fear, and her mother was the strongest of them all in her mind. Perhaps it could explain her mother's behavior today. She couldn't understand how her mother would abandon all rational thought in regard to Clark. She sent Diana away during the meeting and didn't use the lasso, none of that made sense. Perhaps Clark was right, and if he was, how could she get her mother to change her mind? Diana doesn't want to leave Clark, but doesn't want to abandon her home either. Something has to give, but not tonight.

"I can't think about this anymore, I'm going crazy here." Diana said suddenly. "I want to do something fun. What can we do that's fun?"

"Fun?" Clark began thinking. What is fun? He usually doesn't have time for fun. Until he got an idea. "How did you fare in making clothes for yourself?"

"I made a few dresses. Why?" What did dresses have to do with anything?

"Well get one on and put on your dancing shoes. Let's go out on the town."

"Ok." Diana said, as she got off the couch. "That sounds great."

* * *

Clark found a parking spot a few blocks away from the club they were going to. He wore his typical weekend wear, a cardigan sweater and a button up shirt and tie. To finish the outfit he wore khaki slacks and brown leather shoes. Diana, wore a not too revealing emerald green halter dress that stopped just below her knees. She made it herself, styled after one she saw on her last shopping trip. The one on the rack was very nice, but it wasn't made for someone of Diana's body type. The dress wasn't nearly as flashy as what Wonder Woman would wear in a public outing, but that didn't stop Diana from being nervous. She felt like her glasses being the only thing keeping her secret wouldn't work very well. She hadn't had any issues before, because she always wore long sleeves, but now with her bracelets and well muscled arms in full view she was slightly self conscious.

"Are you sure nobody will recognize me?" She asked as they walked towards the club hand in hand. "Even with my bracelets?"

"I guarantee they won't." He told her confidently, what he didn't tell her, was that it was because in _that_ dress, no one would be looking at her wrists.

"If you say so." Diana was skeptical, but decided to believe Clark. He'd been right about everything so far. "Have you ever been to this place before?"

"Yeah, I've been here a few times. Not enough for anyone to know me though."

"This isn't the kind of place Hal and Wally go to is it?"

"No way, this is much more... uh. Low key."

Low key, of course it would be, that's how Clark always did everything. She figured it was a good thing, this being the first time at a club and all. Aside from being noticed, she was only worried about one thing. She had no idea if Clark knew how to dance. They had never spoken about it before, she assumed he could since he suggested it, but she couldn't be sure. She also wondered if she would know the dance as well. Themysciran dances were drastically different from what they did here. Mostly due to the fact that there were no men. Man's world had many types of dances, there were the wild dances that the young people did which often consisted of the woman grinding her body against the man. The others were ballroom oriented, and were stiff and uncomfortable, and with music that didn't appeal to Diana. Julia had taught her the ballroom dances, so she knew how to do them, but was worried that Clark would want her to dance like the young people, after all she was young herself at only 23. As close as she and Clark had become over the past few weeks, she didn't feel close enough to be comfortable gyrating against him, and definitely not in public. The ballroom dance seemed a better option, but she couldn't see Clark moving in such a robotic fashion.

Once inside, Diana tried to get a feel of the room. The music was live, sounded very good. Sweeping the patrons, she didn't feel she and Clark would be too out of place. The people there seemed mostly like couples, of various ages. From what looked like early 30's to mid 50's, she figured at 23 she was probably the youngest person here, with Clark being 27 he would better fit in.

"Do you want a drink?" Clark asked, motioning towards the bar.

"I wouldn't know what to order?"

"Do you want something fruity?"

"Ok. I guess so." She didn't know anything about drinks, all she ever had was wine or champagne, which were incredibly weak to her. Themysciran wines were much better.

Clark ordered her something called a Carmel Apple martini and got himself a beer. As with other alcoholic drinks in Man's World, it was incredibly weak, but it did taste good.

"Clark, why do you drink beer? It doesn't taste good, and you'll never start to feel it, why bother? You should have gotten something else, like this." Diana asked pointing to her own drink.

"Because I'll look like a wuss if I drink that. Before you ask, it's something about guys not being able to drink certain things in public, and having to drink what doesn't taste good. I don't get it either, but I do kind of like beer so I'm not complaining right now."

"Oh." Diana thought for a second. "You know I knew that! Other people have said the same thing. It's too bad, because this drink is very good."

"You want another one?"

"Are you trying to get me drunk Clark?"

Clark didn't answer, instead he got a look on his face as if he was just caught red handed, and didn't know how to respond. Diana couldn't help but smile, they both knew she couldn't get drunk, he was just being funny. Often times his silliness annoyed her, but it didn't tonight. She was trying to forget her mother, she was here to have a good time.

"I don't know how to do this dance." She was nervous, this was totally different from anything she had done before.

"Ah, don't worry about it, it's like flying." He assured her as he led her to the dance floor. "I lead, you follow, nothing difficult about it."

Diana was a natural, just as he expected, it didn't take long for Diana to relax her body and just go with him. He was able to lead her properly, give her enough strength to get her to turn the right way without worry of breaking her arm. Once she got the hang of it, he was able to lose himself with her and the music.

The band was live, a woman was singing lead. The rhythm was perfect, and her voice flowed perfectly with it. Clark was able to zone out. There was no one on the floor but he and Diana. She was smiling, so was he. She felt perfect in his arms, like she belonged there. She was so beautiful, as if no other woman ever existed. She was the reason that God made a girl. He could fall in love with her, it would be easy. He could see it all, watching her walk down the aisle, picking china patterns, decorating a house in the country, maybe with a few kids. Deep down that what he always wanted, his human upbringing trained him to want it. The Kryptonian in him thought it was an unattainable dream, because no one could be with him as he was. No one could be what he wanted or needed. Except for Diana. She stood by him in the worst of times, when all seemed lost, she was the one who picked him out of the dirt and inspired him to keep going. Why couldn't she be there in the best of times? In the times of pure happiness?

There was only one problem: He had no idea how to express this to Diana. Feelings were always Clark's problem. He could never seem to express them to the person he cared for. He had only done it once, and he was left devastated. Since then he'd been on guard. Second guessing everything. Always keeping the door open to the possibility of rejection. It was a defense mechanism, because there was nothing, no death ray or kryptonite laser that could hurt more than a broken heart. Diana could change her mind at any minute and leave him. She could decide that her mother was right, and cut him off completely. If he reminded himself of those possibilities maybe it would hurt less if she did leave.

Luckily for him, right now she was here and wasn't going anywhere. And this is where he would keep his thoughts. Right here, right now.

Diana was just enjoying herself, enjoying being free, from her mother, from her responsibilities, from anything but Clark. She didn't want to be anywhere but here, with Clark. The dancing was great, it was a similar to the ballroom dancing she was familiar with, but it was more upbeat, more loose, there were more steps, more dips, more spins. She didn't miss a beat, Clark was a great dancer, and a great leader. Could this night get any better?

* * *

High in the Metropolis night sky, Clark and Diana continued their dance. The club had become too crowded for Clark's liking, so he suggested they leave. Diana didn't want to stop dancing, so she suggested they continue in the sky. They held each other close, in a gentle embrace. The pace changing from fast to slow.

"That was fun. What was that dance called?" Diana asked, staring gently into his eyes.

"Chicago Steppin' or Detroit Ballroom, depending on where you're from."

"But you're from Kansas?"

"That's true. But my mother was born in Detroit and grew up in Chicago. So she would switch back and forth in what to call it."

"You mother? So I guess that means she was the one who taught you how to dance?"

"Yes."

"She did a good job. You are excellent."

"That's good, because the first time I went dancing it was bad."

"How bad?"

"Awful. It was 6th grade, the first formal dance I'd ever been to, and the first time I'd ever seen Lana Lang wear a dress which is a totally different story. Anyway, I asked her to dance, thinking it would be easy. So for the next 3 songs I stepped all over her feet, it was not a pretty sight. After the dance, she went home and told her mother about it. Who was not happy, she thought I'd done it on purpose, so she called my mother to complain. Long story short, Mama cleared it up, and forced me to take dance lessons. So now, I'm an expert in 'urban' ballroom dancing."

Diana couldn't help but laugh. He didn't talk about his childhood very often, it was difficult to imagine him at a young age.

"Thank you for this." She said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"You're more than welcome."

When Diana shifted her head again, Clark caught her gaze. At that second he realized there was something he wanted to do with Diana for a long time. Ever since the first pictures he saw of her. He wanted to kiss her. He saw the look in her eyes, it felt as if they were on the same wavelength, as if she wanted to kiss him back. So in an uncharacteristically forward moment for Clark, he went for it.

Diana's lips were soft, softer than he imagined. It was a wonderful feeling. Kissing Diana was totally different than anything he'd ever experienced up to this point. He could feel her kissing back in a way he never could with anyone else. It was almost intoxicating, he didn't want to stop, but knew he had to. He wanted to make sure Diana didn't react to his kisses the way other women did. He found that if he kissed too long, his partner would get woozy and have temporary memory loss. The first time he and Lana kissed, she forgot that she agreed to kiss him in the first place.

Diana didn't want to stop, when he began pulling away, she unconsciously floated up to prevent him from breaking it. "Why are you stopping?" She asked, slightly out of breath.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

She started to say something else, but mumbled it, deciding words didn't matter. She was more focused on going in for another. She found she wanted more than he'd given her, she wanted to be closer. She quickly broke apart to remove her glasses, before resuming again. Not missing a beat, Clark took his own glasses off as well. Diana couldn't believe how wonderful it was, she never imagined kissing could feel like this.

When they finally did stop kissing, Diana finally got a grasp on where they were, she suddenly realized that the wind was whipping violently through her hair, and that gravity was in full effect. The were falling, and falling fast! Just as she was realizing what was happening, she noticed Clark was too. It took them both a few seconds to stop themselves, and once they did, they found themselves holding on to each other. Diana had her hands linked around his neck, and he was holding her with his hands on her hips.

They both laughed. They had gotten so wrapped up in each other that they hadn't even realized that they were literally falling out of the sky.

"That would not have been good." Clark managed to say between chuckles.

"No it would not have." Diana agreed. "I think we need more practice."

"I think that would help. We should get higher, just to make sure nobody can see us."

It was highly unlikely that anyone would be able to see them, but Clark wanted to make sure. So without thinking he glided them up under his own power. High enough that he felt comfortable again.

"That was my first kiss." Diana said, still smiling.

"In a way, it was mine too. I've never felt anything like that. It was incredible."

Diana's smile widened. What began as an awful day was ending wonderfully. Diana decided she didn't want to jinx anything. "I can't thank you enough for tonight. I really needed this after what happened earlier. I'm sorry that my mother..."

"Shh... It's ok. I have a feeling things will work out in the end between the two of you. Just give it time. Goodnight Diana."

"Goodnight Clark." Diana pulled away from him, but quickly came back for one last peck on the lips before flying off into the night.

Once she left, Clark discreetly flew back down to his car, and turned on the engine. Just before pulling off, he said to himself, "I'll say, in the end, this was a pretty good day."

* * *

_A/N: If you're curious about the dancing they were doing, look up 'Detroit Ballroom' or 'Chicago Steppin' on YouTube. It's a real dance._


	10. Chapter 10

Hippolyta sat in her private dining room waiting for the arrival of Phillipus for their daily breakfast. She was tired, she didn't get much sleep after spending the whole night thinking about Diana. She was satisfied that she scared Clark enough to delay any malicious plans he may have. However the big problem was Diana, she was upset. The look on her face before she left said as much.

"Hippolyta, you're brooding." Phillipus said as she entered the room.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, I believe you are." Phillipus sat in her chair before continuing. "About the Princess and her man?"

"Yes. I don't trust him."

"What will you do?"

"I'm unsure. I cannot command her to leave him. That will only drive her closer to him, and further from me."

"Diana is very fond of him."

"Yes."

"As is Donna." Phillipus chuckled knowing this would annoy the queen. "She helped disarm Artemis and she hasn't stopped asking about men since he departed."

"I'm aware of that. If she continues with her questions she'll be confined to the island for her entire lifetime. One man on our island is too many, I'll not have Donna bring any here."

"What is it you do not trust about Diana's man? If you cannot trust him how can you trust his cousin? She made it very clear that she would defend him while he was here."

"Yes she did." Hippolyta knew that Kara's loyalty was to her cousin, she always knew, but was accepting nonetheless. "Why does Diana have to choose him? The only man more powerful than her. Of all the men, why him?"

"She says she trusts him, would you rather she choose someone she doesn't trust?"

Hippolyta didn't answer. She only gave a quizzical look.

"Would you trust a less powerful man?" Phillipus asked.

"Who's side are you on Phillipus?"

"I am and Amazon. My loyalty is to you and our sisters... and Diana. Tell me, if she had brought a small weak human man would you be any less worried?"

Hippolyta thought silently. "Perhaps not. His strength isn't the only thing that could cause her harm."

"I share your fears, and I am inclined not to trust this man either, but consider trusting Diana. That she would not choose to be with someone who is evil. Perhaps instead of preconceiving your notions on who he is, you should learn more about him. Find out why he is so important to Diana."

"And how exactly would I do that?"

"That is up to you my queen, but if it were me, I would start with his only known blood relative."

Hippolyta smiled, she could always count on Phillipus for strategy and reason. Sometimes her emotions got the best of her, and Phillipus had the unique ability to remind her of the balance she had to keep as queen. It was why Phillipus was her most trusted adviser and general of the Amazon army.

* * *

Clark was having a good day, there had been no emergencies, the office gossip was largely not about him or Diana, and he received a big article assignment. He was to interview Wonder Woman for the announcement of her next project. Which he already knew had been in the works for quite some time now. There wasn't much of anything else going on with him either, so his workday had been smooth sailing.

Lois on the other hand was a little off put. She wasn't happy about being looked over by Wonder Woman again. Clark always got to interview her, what was so special about him?

"Clark, I don't know how you do it." She began.

"Do what?"

"Get these incredibly gorgeous women to follow you around."

"The Wonder Woman article? Haven't we been through this a hundred times? She asks for me specifically. What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to do the interview. I just can't for the life of me figure out how you were able to finagle your way into her press circle. But it's not just Wonder Woman, it's also your girlfriend, who's conveniently named Diana as well."

Clark didn't show it, but inwardly he panicked a little bit. After all these years of not seeing that Superman was right in front of her every day, Lois wouldn't figure Diana out after seeing her one time, would she?

"There are lots of women named Diana." He needed to throw her off the trail, this was a dangerous line of thinking.

"Yes I know, I have a cousin named Diana. But for you, it's too convenient. If I didn't know any better I'd think your girlfriend is an homage."

"An homage?" This was a good thing, Lois wasn't trying to connect the two, she was just looking for a chance to take shots at him again.

"Yes, Diana Prince is an homage to Wonder Woman. You can't have the real thing, so you found a reasonable facsimile at your local Workout World. The thing I can't figure out, is why she seems to have taken such a liking to you."

"What's wrong with me?"

"Clark, let's be real. You... have no game."

"What?"

"You have no game. None at all, which is why I can't figure out how you bagged a hollywood starlet."

Clark scoffed. "Lois... I've got all the game."

"Really?"

"All the game. I could get any woman I want."

"Any woman?"

"Any woman." That was mostly true, except for the fact that Superman would draw most of that attention. "Within reason."

Lois considered his words, glossing over how uncharacteristically combative he'd just become. She gave him a once over, "Ok, you're a handsome guy, you're tall, and built like a linebacker. So I get why women notice you. On a purely physical level, you got it."

Clark knew what was next, Lois had a tendency to complement him, then take shots at him.

"But what I can't get is what she sees in you beyond the physical. Clark, quite frankly, you're dull, and uninteresting. I mean what do you do on a date?"

"I would assume what everybody else does. I took Diana dancing this weekend."

"You, went dancing? Why don't I believe you? Where'd you go?"

"A place called Stepps, on 20th and 25th."

Lois considered his answer, she knew the place."Oh, okay, I guess Stepps makes sense, Diana doesn't look like the square dancing type."

"And I do?"

"I don't know, you don't look like the dancing type period. You seem pretty awkward and uncoordinated. You knock things over all the time, and you break more ink pens than should be humanly possible. It's just hard to see you staying balanced for that long."

Clark had to concede she was right, he did have an unfortunate tendency to break pens, possibly because he wasn't human. However, his coordination could not be questioned."Well, it just so happens that I'm an excellent dancer."

"Whatever Smallville, I'll believe it when I see it."

"Hey hey hey you two!" Perry said, stomping in between their desks. "This is a newsroom, you can hold court when you're off the clock."

"Sorry Chief." Clark said quickly, turning back to his computer. He wasn't really doing anything, he just had Wonder Woman's site pulled up to make Perry think he was doing research for his next assignment.

"Kent, you're flight and hotel information should be sent to you by the end of the day. Now you know what I want out of this, get the story Wonder Woman's telling everybody, and the story underneath that she's not telling."

"Of course sir, and I'll try to get an exclusive too. The Justice League has been so scarce lately she might actually have the time."

"Showoff." Lois muttered under her breath, loud enough for both Clark and Perry to hear, though neither responded. Clark was able to get more exclusives with Wonder Woman than any other media member, and it irked her to no end.

Perry White on the other hand didn't know how Clark did it, nor did he care. "That's what I like to hear Kent."

* * *

Diana stepped out of a small shop with a cup of fresh lemonade and began walking down the street. She was trying to enjoy the last bit of free time she would have for a while. With her upcoming announcement of the bracelets, Wonder Woman would be very busy doing public relations. And as Diana Prince she was going to have to go to the Smallville High School reunion with Clark, then she would have to meet his parents. Dealing with the press was nothing, and she figured the reunion wouldn't be much of a big deal. Meeting Clark's parents however, was a different matter. It made her nervous, maybe they wouldn't like her? Maybe they wouldn't think she's right for their son. Maybe they still held a grudge from when she attacked him when they first met. Clark had given no indication any of that was the case, but she couldn't be sure.

Diana was finding that she didn't know him as well as she thought. She was under the impression that he told her just about everything, but that wasn't the case. In the past they spoke extensively about Justice League matters, and occasionally about work. Since he spent more time with her than anyone else in the league, she assumed she knew him better than anyone else. But since they began dating, she saw that wasn't necessarily the case, she was finding more and more about the real man. A man who could dance as well as anyone and a man who's kiss could make her forget that the rest of the universe still existed. No matter how she tried to wrap her head around it she still couldn't figure out why she just dropped out of the sky like that. She's spent her whole life training to keep her guard up, and her wits sharp but just like that he broke her down. It was both exhilarating and frightening to lose control like that. The moment itself felt incredible, but knowing that another person could affect her in such a way was strange. It left her open in a way she'd never been before. She now had a better idea of the fears that her mother and sisters had, to have someone invade that closeness without consent would be awful. It required a trust that Clark, and only Clark had. Definitely not the man who was walking towards her looking like he wanted to talk. These men were easy to spot, and often annoying.

"Was your daddy a thief? Because he stole all the stars and put them in your eyes." The man said, with a big smile on his face.

Diana looked back at him like he had grown two heads. That may have been the most ridiculous thing anyone has ever said to her! The look on her face made him backtrack.

"Hey woah, I was just joking. Those lines never work on anybody. I just wanted to say hello to you."

"Hello." Diana said deadpan, she hadn't broken her stride and even stepped up her pace a little bit, not enough to look like she was in a hurry, but enough to make the man have to work at keeping up with her.

"That's all I can get, just a hello?"

"That's what you wanted to say."

"Ok, can I say something else?"

"You can say it, but I may not respond."

"You look like you're not walking anywhere particular, so I figure you've got some time on your hands. How about I buy you a cup of coffee?" He suddenly noticed the cup of lemonade in her hand and added, "Or maybe a muffin or a pastry."

Before she spoke again Diana realized that she had a unique opportunity to understand men a little bit better. Usually she would shut men down quickly, but not today, she wanted to figure out what he wanted. To understand his intentions, with his own words and actions, instead of speculation. The close interaction with men up to this point in her life was either in the Justice League or men she was in business with. Aside from Clark, she really didn't know much about the romantic side of them. And he was unique, a Kryptonian, how did humans differ? If any? Clark was raised as a human after all. She had to give it to this man, he did figure out she was walking without a particular destination. He could be a good case study.

"My name is Steve." He said with a smile.

"Steve? Tell me Steve, why do you want to buy me something? Do you think I can't get it for myself?"

"Not at all, I was just being polite."

"You were being polite by offering to buy me something? Tell me Steve, what is it you want from me?" Diana stopped walking to look him in the eye.

"Wow, you're really putting me on the spot. I was expecting you would either be flattered, and accept my invitation or you would just blow me off. An explanation is uh... yeah." Steve couldn't finish his sentence coherently, he was caught off guard.

"You didn't answer my question."

"I guess I liked what I saw in you as you were walking by, I thought by speaking to you, you'd have the opportunity to see if you liked what you saw in me. If you had the same response I did, maybe we could get to know each other. To see if we like each other on a deeper level."

"I see." Diana said, examining him further. His whole reason for speaking to her was based on appearance. It was petty, and Diana found she didn't like it. He was handsome enough, but didn't have the physical qualities that Diana found attractive. It also annoyed her that he looked at her and immediately had selfish thoughts. She got what she wanted, now it was time for him to leave. "Steve, I don't mean to lead you on in any way. I wanted to see if you would be honest with me in why you wanted to talk to me. I think you have, and I thank you for that. I had no intention of going anywhere with you, and I don't think my boyfriend would be very happy if I did. Have a nice day." Without another pause, Diana casually walked away.

"You could have said that from the beginning." Steve said, to no one in particular.

* * *

Clark and Diana were spending the evening at her apartment. He brought groceries and was giving her, her first cooking lesson in about 10 years. He had tasked her with making caesar salad with grilled chicken. An extremely easy dish, but Diana was acting like she didn't want to do it.

"I don't know what I'm doing. Don't you realize that I've never had to cook in my whole life? When I was young, they kicked me out of the kitchen because I was so bad."

"You're smart, and you never have to be told anything twice, cooking won't be difficult for you. I'm going to venture a guess, that you refused to listen, broke things, threw temper tantrums to scare them into kicking you out." He said with a smug grin on his face. "But I got news for you baby, I'm not scared of you."

"Is that right?" She said, pointing a large knife in his face. "Don't mistake stupidity for courage." Diana didn't want to reveal that he was spot on with her kitchen tantrums as a young girl. It annoyed her a little that he could figure that out, sometimes he was too perceptive for his own good.

"Why threaten me with a knife? That thing is useless on me."

"And how do you know it's not magic?" She said, stepping towards him slowly.

"Because it's my knife."

Diana frowned, and silently conceded the point. "So what am I supposed to be doing again?"

"Split each one down the middle, the long way. Then put them in the pan with a little bit of oil."

Diana reluctantly turned her attention to the boneless, skinless chicken breasts on the cutting board and did as Clark instructed. Then washed her hands. "Now what?"

"Now you season them." He said pointing to several spices on the counter that he'd brought with him. "Then you cook them."

With Clark's direction Diana finished the meal, it was extraordinarily simple to do, all she had to do was flip the chicken and cut it up after it was finished. The lettuce and salad dressing was self explanatory, yet Clark explained everything in detail, all the while keeping a smug smile on his face, much to her chagrin. It appeared he enjoyed watching her uncomfortable, and in the kitchen, Diana was uncomfortable.

Conversation was smooth, awkward silences were held to a minimum. Everything went smoothly until Diana spilled some of her drink on herself.

"Wow!" Clark laughed. "You really just dropped the whole cup. That's crazy!"

Instead of responding, Diana just gave him the stink eye.

"You're probably the most coordinated person I've ever met in my life, yet you spill an entire cup of juice on yourself. I wish I had a picture of this." Clark continued.

"I dare you to keep laughing." Diana challenged, getting up to change into dry clothes.

In her closet, which was filling up with each and every day, Diana stewed at being teased by Clark. She knew it as all in good fun, but she needed revenge, and as she removed her clothes, it suddenly dawned on her how to get him back, and have some fun in the process.

While Diana was in her room changing, Clark moved to the sofa. He smiled at the memory of the night they assembled it, and the rest of her furniture, but the second she came into view he forgot everything. Diana had changed into a pair of black running shorts and a sports bra.

"So, are you ready for our interview on Thursday?" She said, sauntering into the room and casually sitting next to him.

"Yeah?" Clark was confused, why was she dressed this way?

"Me too. And I know you don't want to know anything beforehand, but I can tell you that the bracelets are beautiful. Even the toys."

"Great?" He was saying everything like a question. Which bothered him, because it's not like he hasn't seen her in skimpy clothing. Her armor was basically a one piece swimsuit. But maybe that was it, her armor was made of thick leather and metal, and whenever she wore it she was ready for battle. This was much more intimate, and much more arousing. He had a thing for women in workout clothes, but Diana in workout clothes was a fantasy in itself. He looked her up and down, and she didn't seem to mind. She was a stone cold knockout in the curves department, and her well defined muscles made her all the more sexy. Her legs, which she swung up to sit in his lap, her her arms, and her torso, all perfect. There was also something else, something he hadn't noticed before. Diana had the most beautiful feet in the world. She always wore shoes around him, so they were covered up, therefore he never paid attention. But now with them right in front of him he couldn't help it. From her dainty toes, to her high arches, she was perfect. Clark's imagination was running wild on him, he could think of nothing but Diana rubbing the soles of her feet across the sides of his face. Which was odd, because he couldn't recall having a foot fetish before now, maybe it was just Diana.

Diana was enjoying the looks he'd been giving her since she returned the room. It was clear that he liked what he was seeing, and Diana found that she liked it. His eyes lingering on her feet wasn't what she expected, but it wasn't unwelcome. He seemed to enjoy every part of her, this could only be a good thing. She originally put these clothes on to get revenge for teasing her, but she quickly found none of that mattered, she thought of their kiss in the sky the other night. Kissing again seemed like a good idea.

Unfortunately, the stars weren't in their favor tonight. Clark could hear sirens, a lot of them. He looked in the direction they were coming from. Noticing this Diana became concerned.

"What's going on? What do you see?"

"Apartment fire, looks pretty big. I should get on this, there are still people trying to get out."

"Do you want any help?"

"It would be better if you stayed here, just for privacy's sake. But I'll call you if I need you, how about that?"

"Ok. I'll be here." Diana was disappointed, this wasn't the way the night was supposed to go. She wanted to know what kissing was like while planted firmly on the ground. "I'll be ready, if you call."

"The good thing about this, I can leave my clothes here and know they'll be safe. I don't know how long I'll be, so leave the balcony unlocked so I can come back for them."

"Ok."

* * *

Clark returned about an hour later.. Diana was laying in bed reading, she was more covered up than she had been when he left. Now wearing a tank top, and long yoga pants, still a sexy look, but Clark was quite sure the moment had passed. She wore revealing clothes earlier to get a reaction out of him, what she wanted, he wasn't totally sure, but now wasn't the time to ask. He also knew it was time for him to leave, as she didn't get out of bed, or even move when he came in. So he gathered his clothes, and left. Through the front door, as Clark Kent, just in case someone saw him come in, so he could preserve Diana's reputation somewhat.

* * *

The next few days were a blur, dinner, refused cooking lessons and an interview that went exactly how each of them predicted. The reveal of the bracelets drew a lot of fanfare, and the event was attended by many who were supportive of Wonder Woman's cause. Several top actresses, female MMA fighters, other athletes and women's rights activists all attended. Along with Zatanna and Shayera, each giving Clark plenty for his article. Perry would be pleased, Lois would be pissed. None of that mattered though, because tomorrow he was going home, and he was taking Diana with him.


	11. Chapter 11

Clark and Diana were flying high in the sky towards Smallville. They weren't flying very fast, they just wanted to enjoy the clear early afternoon sky. Clark could already hear and see his parents arguing in the front yard. Jonathan had gotten his fly fishing line stuck in a tree and Martha was scolding him.

"Why do you even have your fishing rod out here?" Martha asked exasperated as he yanked and pulled at the line.

"I was practicing my cast, you know that. I've been doing it for years."

"Jonathan! There are acres and acres of land here, why in the world would you decide to practice your casting right next to the tree?"

"Because when I'm at the river, there are trees everywhere, and I want to avoid them. I stand next to this tree, to practice avoiding it."

"Clearly you need more."

"Well that's obvious. It isn't so bad, Clark will be here eventually, he can get it down if I can't."

"Uh, actually he can't. He said he was bringing his girlfriend. Which can only mean that we'll be keeping 'things' hidden this weekend."

"Oh yeah. Wait a minute he didn't ask for a ride from anywhere maybe he's flying in, did he say who his girlfriend was?"

"No. He didn't even tell me her name. I hoped maybe he told you."

"No, I haven't even spoken to him, you were the one who picked up the phone."

"I wish he wasn't so quiet when it comes to women, he's been so different since..."

"That's not the only reason, he's one of a kind, and with that comes one of a kind problems."

* * *

Clark and Diana hovered above the entrance to the farm. Clark thought they should walk the rest of the way. Diana seemed reluctant to go towards the ground. Her heartbeat was beating wildly, she was more nervous than when they were on Themyscira.

"Hey, everything will be fine. This will go smoothly." He assured her.

"What if they don't like me?"

"That's not going to happen, they'll like you, they want to like you. I'll give you the same advice you gave me. Just be yourself."

"Ok."

"Come on, let's head down. I'm hungry."

Clark dropped from the sky, and Diana followed. They landed not far from the main road into town.

"Jeffrey Kent Farms?" Diana asked, reading the large sign on the side of the long driveway to the house.

"Named after my Grandfather. He owned this land for quite some time before Daddy took it over."

"Did you ever meet him?"

"Yeah, he came to live with us, shortly after Mama and Daddy found me. It was just a few months after his wife passed away. I remember him, but only vaguely, I wasn't even two years old yet when he died."

"That's why your middle name is Jeffrey! You're named after your grandfather." Diana suddenly blurted out, realizing the obvious.

"Yep. Actually I'm named after both of my grandfathers, because Clark is my mother's maiden name."

"Hmm. I've always found it fascinating how people's names are chosen. On Themyscira since no children were ever born there was no need. Except for me and Donna of course"

"Of course."

Walking and talking with Clark was very calming for Diana. By the time Jonathan and Martha came into view she didn't feel nearly as nervous. They were standing close to each other with a pole in their hands with a string that was stuck in the tree, they they were pulling and tugging, almost like they were fighting over it.

"Clark what are your parents doing?"

"Daddy got his fishing hook stuck in the tree. They're trying to get it out."

Clark thought it was funny, Diana didn't get it. There wasn't any water for quite a ways, why would he have a fishing pole in the middle of farmlands? Despite her confusion, she held her tongue, she didn't want to make a bad impression by insulting his parents immediately upon meeting them.

"Clark! You finally made it." Martha said as she noticed him walking in their direction, she also noticed the woman walking several steps behind him seemed very tall and wore glasses similar to Clark's. She spoke softly, but knew he could hear her from that distance. However since she couldn't hear him yet, he just threw his arms to his sides in a welcoming manner.

By the time they got close enough Diana suddenly got nervous again, and subconsciously used Clark as a shield.

"Hello sweetheart we're so happy to see you!" Martha said hugging him tightly. "And you two." Addressing Diana.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Kent I'm..."

"Wonder Woman!" Martha exclaimed.

"Yes."

"Oh wow. I didn't expect you to be here. Clark, I thought you were bringing your girlfriend?" Jonathan said.

"I am his girlfriend." Diana responded somewhat proudly.

"You are!" Martha exclaimed again. Her face was one of total shock. Jonathan's face on the other hand went from welcoming smile to 'That's my boy!', which didn't surprise Clark one bit.

"It's so wonderful to finally meet you!" Martha continued, stepping away from Jonathan and his reel and giving Diana a welcoming hug. "I had no idea the two of you were... together."

"Yes, we are. Only when I'm here please call me Diana Prince. My cover is that I'm a college graduate that has recently begun dating Clark."

"Yes of course."

"Right, so Diana will be staying for the weekend as we discussed right Mama?" Clark asked.

"Yes, Clark of course she will. Welcome to our home Diana." Martha answered happily.

"Thank you so much Mrs. Kent and Mr. Kent you as well." Diana responded.

"Come in, come in, Clark bring her bags." Martha said, taking Diana by the hand and ushering her towards the house.

"Ok. Let me get this line out of the tree for you." Clark jumped into the air, and removed the hook from the tree.

"Thanks." Jonathan said.

"Maybe try taking 2 steps away from the tree."

"I'm practicing to avoid it."

"Oh I know, I'm just making a suggestion. You coming in?"

"Yeah I'll be there in a few."

Martha was ecstatic, for several reasons, she was hosting Wonder Woman for the weekend, and she could be Clark's doting mother without keeping secrets for the first time in her life, but she was also ecstatic that Clark was pursuing what he's wanted for his entire adult life: A relationship where he could truly be himself.

"Have you and Clark been dating long?" Martha asked.

"Not long."

"About a month...ish." Clark interjected as he entered the front door.

"Yes, but of course we've been friends for years." Diana confirmed.

"Oh yes, Clark has told us all about that." Martha kept smiling, mostly at Clark now that he's in the room. Her smile made Clark feel awkward. "So Diana, follow me I'll show you where you'll be staying."

The three of them marched up the stairs towards Clark's old room.

"Diana you'll be sleeping in Clark's room and since you're not married." saying 'not married' with extra emphasis. "Clark will sleep in the den."

"Of course." He replied dryly, setting her bags down in the middle of the floor.

"Clark you get her all set up, and then come on downstairs." Martha then left the room to go downstairs.

"So this was your bedroom?"

"Yep."

"I can tell." Diana looked around, just by looking she could tell that his parents didn't change the room much since he moved out. All of the furniture was arranged symmetrically, just like his apartment and the fortress. Then Diana looked up, and saw something interesting, there were dozens of glow-in-the-dark stars stuck onto the ceiling, with a large red star stuck just next to the light in the center of the room. The metaphor made perfect sense, the red sun next to the yellow sun, a reference to his dual identity.

"Who put the stars up?"

"I did. When I was a little kid."

"How little?"

"4 or 5 something like that I don't know. Why do you ask?"

"No reason."

"Okay?" He didn't get why she was asking about the stars. "Towels are in the dresser in front of the window, the closet is full of my clothes, but there are extra hangers if you need them, and the bathroom is just through that door." Clark pointed towards a jack and jill bathroom that was connected to another room that was used for storage. "There are two sinks, and fresh toothpaste and brushes in the drawer, we're going to have to share this bathroom, so I'll use the sink next to the far door. Any questions?"

"Nope."

"Alrighty then, then downstairs we go."

Downstairs, Clark immediately went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. "Mama what you got to eat?"

"Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?" He asked, coming into the room to sit down followed by Diana.

"Stick your head in the fridge then ask 'Mama what you got to eat?' I hate when you do that."

"You do? Oh, I thought it was endearing." He chuckled, knowing full well she didn't find it endearing. It was he who thought it was funny. "Anyway I saw what was in there. Daddy's lighting the grill now."

"What are we going to eat?" Diana asked

"There were pork ribs sitting in marinade, fresh cole slaw, and some pans of macaroni and cheese ready to go in the oven. Finally you'll know what real mac n cheese tastes like. Not that crap you buy in a box. Or that junk we had the other day."

"You really like macaroni and cheese don't you Clark?" Diana asked.

"I do."

"Don't let him fool you Diana." Martha said. "Clark LOVES it. He used to say that if he ever meets a girl who can make it right, he'll marry her on the spot."

Diana had a surprised smile, Clark and embarrassed one, he expected this would be the first of many times he'd be embarrassed this weekend by his parents.

"Diana would you like the recipe?" Martha then asked slyly.

Clark wasn't prepared for Diana to answer, so he quickly changed the subject. "So the Hotel is all booked up. Apparently this reunion is a big deal."

"Not just the hotel either." Jonathan interjected, stepping into the house. "Lots of people are coming home for this. You are the biggest graduating class in about 20 years."

"Yeah, that's true. I just never knew how many people show up to these things. Usually I hear about people refusing to go."

"Why wouldn't people go to a reunion?" Diana asked.

"A lot of people hated high school. Awkward teenage years made for a miserable time for some."

"I've heard that, it's come up with the women I work with a few times. But I still don't get why you wouldn't want to see old friends, to see how they've progressed in their lives. Even if you weren't part of the popular crowd." Diana paused. "Were you popular Clark?"

"Kind of? Maybe? Smallville doesn't really have those kind of divisions in their schools. My name was known, but in a small town like this, it's hard not to know anyone's name. So I don't think I was more popular than anyone else. "

"I see." Diana said.

The four of them spent the next little while talking. Mostly about current events, art, music, food. Nothing too serious. Jonathan and Martha also shared a few stories about Clark's childhood. Nothing too embarrassing so far, but Clark had the distinct feeling that the unabridged stories were coming. They were probably itching to finally tell someone what it was truly like to raise him.

Then Clark heard someone calling him. A familiar voice from a familiar location. "Clark, I know you're here, and I know you can hear me. I'd really like it if you came and talked to me."

"Hey, I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back in a little while." He said.

"Ok, Clark. Are you ok?" Martha asked.

Martha was one who asked, but all three of them looked at Clark concerned. His parents could read his expression, and apparently Diana could too.

"I'm fine, I just want to go for a walk. I'll see you guys in a little bit."

Clark walked at a normal pace toward the sound of the voice. He didn't want to hurry, he wanted time to gather his thoughts before he had to speak. As he got closer, his confident stride faded, he felt sad. He had dozens of meetings right here over the years, but the last one made it almost too painful to return.

"Hey Clark."

"Hey Lana."

* * *

Kara was nervous, Hippolyta requested a private meeting with her. A meeting which she could only assume had to do with Clark. Either that or she was being kicked off the island, but that seemed unlikely. She went inside the building, she tried to be cool, but was sure her nervousness was clear to the queen.

The look on Kara's face was of obvious. She had done well in controlling her powers in the last year, she had learned how not to break everything in sight, and learned how to control her flight. Kara was well on her way to being able to join man's world very soon. However she couldn't hide her emotions very well, she was no Amazon.

"There is no reason to be afraid Kara, I only wish to speak with you." Hippolyta finally spoke. "Please sit."

Kara sat in the chair in front of the queen. "I see. What about?"

"Your cousin."

"Ok."

"Tell me about him."

"I don't know him as well as I wish I did. We only spent a few months together before Diana told him to send me here. But he's genuine to me. Happy, honest, and friendly. I'm glad he found me, and I am proud to call him family."

"He lives as a god among men, yet he does not attempt to rule them. Why not?"

"He doesn't see himself as a god, he's just a man. He told me that it's his duty to do whatever it takes to make his home a better place, and he only uses power to help. He believes that it's the obligation of all of us to leave this world better than we found it. It's why he acts as a protector, and not an enforcer."

"When you leave our island what do you plan to do?"

"I want to live my life. Go to school, see the world, maybe I'll even travel to other worlds. I haven't really decided yet, I wanted to talk to Clark about it, to see what he thinks. I want to spend as much time with him as I can, he's the only family I've got left. He was actually pretty upset with Diana, when I came here. Even though he saw her point, he didn't want to let me go so quickly."

"What about he and Diana, what do you know of them?"

"When I first met her I thought she was Kryptonian. Because she wore his colors I thought she was his wife, they sure acted like it sometimes." Kara laughed. "They argued over me, he didn't agree until she kicked him in the head. I'm not surprised they're together, I could tell they respected each other, but also they liked each other."

"Do you know of any other women he's been with?"

"He's lived here his whole life, so I'm sure he's been with other women. I don't really know any details. I think something happened with someone, but I can't be sure, he never told me. Whenever I asked about women, he would get quiet and shy. I think someone hurt him."

"Thank you Kara, you may leave now." Hippolyta was somewhat stunned. Someone hurt him? That thought never occurred to her. She's spent so much time trying to forget the the pain that a man gave to her, that she forgot that it could work both ways. So far there was no indication that the man who held her daughter's affections was the monster that she expected him to be. Diana believed in him adamantly. His cousin knew very little about him, she would have to find out more, there had to be a way to prove to Diana that he wasn't who he claims to be. But how?

* * *

For the first time in 5 years, Clark stood face to face with Lana Lang.

"It's been a long time." She said.

"It has. You look good." He added awkwardly.

"Thanks. So do you."

"I heard through the grapevine that you were bringing someone to the reunion tomorrow."

"Yeah I am..."

"That's great." She said, cutting him off. "I'm really happy for you. And I hope that you're happy... because you deserve it."

Clark paused. He wasn't sure what to say.

"Are you seeing anyone these days? Did you bring anyone with you?"

"No. Just me these days."

Another awkward pause.

"Listen Clark, I'm not really sure why I did this... I guess, maybe I wanted to see you before tomorrow. So things wouldn't be so... weird. I know things didn't end very well between us..."

"But there's no reason we can't be friends again. That's the way we started out."

"I'd like that." Lana smiled for the first time. "I should go, Mom doesn't know I left, and you know how she worries."

"Yeah." Clark smiled, he knew all too well how much her mother worried. "You want me to fly you back?"

"I can make it." She began to back away. "I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

Jonathan had speculated that Clark went to see Lana. It was something they did when they were younger, Lana would go to the big tree, call for Clark, and he would go running. Diana wanted to know more about Lana, but couldn't ask right now because Clark could hear. All she knew from him was that they were friends, then they dated, and then that had only spoken sparingly over the last few years. He never gave her any other details, they didn't matter until now. Suddenly Diana became concerned, she started out as Clark's friend just as Lana did, then they began dating. But what did the future hold? Would she and Clark end up estranged from each other?

Martha, Jonathan and Diana all noticed the forlorn look on Clark's face when he returned to the house. Martha spoke first.

"Is everything alright Clark?"

"Yeah. It's all good." He immediately brightened his face up, he didn't realize that he still looked gloomy. "I'm getting something to drink. Anybody else?"

"Grab me an orange pop." Jonathan said.

"Gotcha." Clark responded.

Clark came in with two cans of orange pop, he sat down next to his father on the sofa across from where Martha and Diana were sitting. He set each can down on the coasters on the coffee table, then absently shifted a book that was on the table so that it was spaced evenly between the cans.

"Clark why do you always do that?" Diana suddenly asked.

"Do what?" He was utterly confused, all he did was sit down.

"Does everything have to be completely symmetrical for you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Just now you shifted that book, so it would be spaced evenly between those cans. But your apartment and your bedroom upstairs is arranged the same way. Everything you have is in pairs, arranged meticulously so they're on an equal plane with each other. Why is that?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"The fortress is the same too. Total symmetry. Is that a Kryptonian habit?"

Clark pondered for a moment, looking at the cans and book he just adjusted. "I guess I am like that. I never even noticed, I wonder if Kara does it."

Martha and Jonathan looked at each other, they knew all about his borderline obsessive need for things to be even. To them it never seemed like an unhealthy habit, so they never questioned him about it. However it seemed to annoy Diana, which could be a good thing, he needs to learn how to act when he doesn't get his way.

Dinner went smoothly, for everyone but Clark. His parents spent the evening telling silly stories about him growing up. Some of the stories were embarrassing, but he did his best to reel himself in for his parents sake. For the first time in their lives they could tell Clark stores unfiltered. They were enjoying themselves immensely. There was no hiding with Diana, as she was allowed to know the real Clark, and not just his human side. For Diana it was a fun and new experience, she felt like she was part of the family, after only a few hours.

* * *

"You were right, that macaroni and cheese was wonderful." Diana said, as she and Clark stood alone in the kitchen after dinner. His parents had gone to bed a little while ago and he was tasked with putting the dishes in the dishwasher, Diana was watching.

"I don't lie about mac and cheese. I am... a snob for lack of a better word. If it's not perfect, I won't eat it."

Diana laughed, she thought he was a snob about much more than that. "So what about tomorrow? What's the plan?"

"Uh, we talk, eat, make promises to meet up that we don't intend to keep, maybe hit the dance floor. Quite frankly, I don't know what people do at these things."

"The dance floor huh? I hope you don't step on my feet." She joked.

"Oh, I won't. I got skills remember."

"Oh I remember." Diana left the kitchen table to head upstairs to bed. Clark followed, he was sleeping downstairs but still needed to change clothes and brush his teeth. Upstairs, Diana grabbed the clothes she was planning on sleeping in, and quickly spun around, changing into them.

"I didn't know you could do that with regular clothes." Clark said, admiring her in her yoga pants and tank top.

"Of course I can, how else do you think I switch to my armor from regular clothes?"

"Oh, I guess that makes sense. But you're still not as cool as me. Watch this!" Clark spun around himself with incredible speed. By the time he stopped, he stood before her wearing a pair of basketball shorts and a wife beater undershirt holding his pants and t-shirt and shoes in his hands. "I can do it too. And without all that fancy magic."

Diana laughed. "Was that supposed to impress me?"

"Fine then." Clark played like he was insulted. "Be that way."

Clark tossed his clothes into the hallway and stepped into the bathroom to the sink furthest in the room and Diana went to the other one. He opened up a fresh pack of toothbrushes for each of them and they set to it. Clark has had girlfriends before, so seeing a woman brushing her teeth was rather meaningless, but when he saw Diana out of the corner of his eye, he was blindsided. The squinting of her eyes, the movements of her mouth, the way she wiped her face with the back of her hand, everything she did was incredibly sexy. Aside from the other day in her apartment, Diana had never consciously flaunted her beauty at him, but now that they were together, he found that she didn't have to. She could be sexy doing the mundane, she didn't have to try, just by being herself she could everything a woman should be. She was blessed by the goddess of love, and could bring any man to his knees, if she ever decided to use that power, she would be dangerous.

She could see him watching, he thought he was being discreet, but she could tell. His eyes said it all, it was the same look he had when they kissed in the sky, and the same look he had in her apartment when she teased him. She liked that look, and was hopeful that they wouldn't be interrupted this time. She closed the distance between them and stared into his eyes. He stared back, stepping close enough so that they pressed lightly against each other. Diana smiled, and so did he, she wasn't backing away, he had his moment. He leaned down, and she raised up so their lips could touch. It began just as it did that night in the sky, Diana was enjoying every second of it, but then she got a total shock when she felt his tongue in her mouth. She quickly pulled her head back, and looked at him confused.

"Are you ok?"

Diana thought about it briefly without speaking. Deciding she liked it, she went back in, this time allowing him to go deeper. Diana then moved her hands to caress his shoulders and arms, Clark took this as an invitation to touch her as well, moving his hands to the small of her back, then sliding up to the base of her neck. She enjoyed the feel of his hands on her body, warm and powerful, she gripped him tighter holding him close. She felt safe in his arms, no harm would come to her, and she hoped he felt safe in hers. At that second she knew that there was a special bond between the two of them, that was getting stronger by the day. It was like there was an unknown force coming towards her, and she didn't even want to get out of the way. Is this what love felt like? If it was, she wanted to stay right where she was.

Eventually they broke the kiss, and just stood holding each other in silence for a few moments.

"Goodnight Clark." Diana finally said with a smile.

"Goodnight Diana. I'll see you in the morning." They finally let each other go, and Diana stepped aside to allow him to leave.

"Sleep well." Diana said when he was halfway down the stairs.

"You too."

Diana quietly shut the door and climbed under the covers. The bed was warm and comfortable, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. Maybe it was Clark? Either way, it didn't stop her from falling asleep with a smile on her face, she had plenty of time to figure out these new feelings she had.

Clark on the other hand knew he had a difficult night ahead of him. He felt like the magical beauty she had still lingered on him, but without her body in his arms the effect was severely lacking. As he curled up on the sofa in the den, he had the distinct feeling that tonight, Diana was going to haunt his dreams even more than usual.

And she did.


	12. Chapter 12

Diana woke up refreshed, she slept wonderfully. Looking at the clock on her phone, she saw it was 7AM. Unsure if it was proper etiquette to be up so early she opened the door slightly and stuck her head out. Martha and Jonathan's door was still closed, but she could hear sounds downstairs, it must have been Clark watching tv. Unsure if the Kents were still asleep she hovered just above the floor and floated downstairs to where the sound was coming from.

Clark didn't sleep well, every time he closed his eyes his mind was flooded with images of Diana. Her sleeping in what he still considered his bed did not help anything. During the night, he left Smallville and checked into the Watchtower just to see what was going on, nothing much. After that he did all of the farm work for the day, allowing his parents to sleep in for a while. Since he couldn't sleep he decided to relax and watch the sports highlights from yesterday's games.

"Morning Clark." Diana said happily as she walked into the den and sat down on the couch opposite Clark. "How did you sleep?"

First thing in the morning and she was still distractingly beautiful. Her hair was down and mussed, she hadn't even bothered to comb it before coming downstairs. Instead of an unkempt mess, he thought she might be even more beautiful. And of course he didn't miss the fact that she was barefoot again. His mind drifted back to the little bit of dreaming he did last night. Things started with him removing her shoes and massaging her feet, and things ended with her hair as disheveled as it was right now. He had to shake his head clear before he spoke.

"I didn't get much, this couch isn't really conducive to sleeping." That was only partially true, although he'd much prefer a bed, the couch wasn't that bad. The real reason he couldn't sleep was because of her, but he wasn't going to tell her that. "I checked into the Watchtower, and flew around for a while."

"Anything going on?"

"Not much." He looked up and checked up on his parents, they were still sleeping, so he could continue without them overhearing sensitive information. "Bruce stopped a huge shipment of drugs from getting into Gotham. I don't know what drug they were shipping in, but I heard the street value of it was something like 8 billion dollars."

"8 billion? Wow."

"Yeah, we should watch Bruce's back for a little while, because somebody is going to be furious at losing that much money, and that somebody will want retribution."

"Is he the only one of us in Gotham?"

"Zatanna is there for the next week or so. She's got some shows." Clark paused when Diana didn't say anything else. She turned towards the TV there were highlights from a baseball game on the screen, but she wasn't really watching. Her mind seemed to be elsewhere. "Zee was on duty when I checked into the tower. She asked about you. She's getting inquisitive again."

"Again?" That part of Zatanna usually irked Diana. She was always the most curious about her and Clark, and she could never put her finger on why. "What did you tell her?"

"The usual. I didn't want to say anything without talking to you about it first. It's not like we've announced anything to them, you said before that Bruce probably knows but he's not going to say anything."

"Would it be so bad?" She asked. "To tell the league we're together?"

"I guess not, no. Why? You want to tell them?"

Diana pondered. "I don't know. Maybe." Diana felt that at this point she was all in with Clark. She was enjoying the closeness she felt with him, and was looking forward to getting closer. But sometimes she wasn't sure where he was, sometimes he was closed off. When he returned from his walk yesterday, where it was assumed he went to see Lana, it took a little while before he was himself. He was normal by dinnertime, and then she forgot about it all when they kissed. She gave so much thought to the kiss last night that she didn't consider the myriad of emotions she felt for him on a day to day basis. She had take into account that her feelings went up and down constantly. Was this normal? She wanted to ask him where he went yesterday, but out of fear of being pushed to a low moment, she didn't, and hoped he would tell her eventually. She had to be patient.

"Want some breakfast?" Clark asked. "I was going to make some pancakes."

"Sure. That's sounds great."

* * *

The smell of maple sausage brought Jonathan and Martha downstairs. Clark was at work in front of the stove, tending the sausage patties, heating up the pancake griddle, and preparing a pan to scramble some eggs. Diana sat at the kitchen table with a bowl of fresh pancake batter in front of her, surrounded by several measuring cups and a set of measuring spoons. She had a little bit of flour on her shirt and a nervous smile on her face. She had mixed the pancakes, and despite Clark's insistence that everything would taste fine, she was still afraid that they would be awful.

"Mama you get the first batch." Clark said without even looking up. "Daddy you're next."

"Works for me." Jonathan said. "I'll grab us a couple of plates." Jonathan stepped to the cupboards and gathered place settings for each of them. Clark took the batter from Diana and started pouring it on the griddle. While Martha placed the measuring cups into the sink and cleaned anything that had been spilled on the table. Diana sat amazed at how they worked in unison. They didn't even have to say anything, and there was no impatience from any of them. On Themyscira the palace kitchens were always hectic, and nerves were often worn thin between the people working in them. There was a calm about the Kents, they had been doing this for years and it never bothered any of them. It wasn't long before everything was fully cooked, and they each had a stack of pancakes, some sausage and scrambled eggs in front of them.

"So, what are you two telling people about how you met?" Martha asked, as she poured maple syrup on her pancakes. "Surely someone has asked by now."

"We say we met at the gym." Clark answered. "She was on the bench press machine, and needed a spotter. So I came over and helped."

"Here it comes." Diana said sarcastically, as she knew where he was going next.

"It was a stroke of genius by me I think. It has a nice parallel to how we really met. You guys remember, her needing my help catching the plane. It all works, except for the fact that I don't get beat up in this story."

"I thought you were evil, and you tried to touch me, I didn't know what you wanted. That's why I fought you." Diana felt the need to explain with the Kents here, in hindsight she felt bad about her first reaction to him. "And for the record I didn't need any help with that plane."

"Is that right?" He said teasingly.

"Yes that's right." She replied combatively.

"Well, here's the thing. Everyone in the plane knew you were there, and yet they were still begging for Superman to save them."

"They were not."

"They were. You would not have landed that plane safely the way you were going."

"You think I'm not strong enough to land a plane?"

"I don't think that at all. But landing a plane isn't about strength, it takes some finesse. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Catching a plane is easy, doing it without killing everyone inside is hard."

Clark had a smirk on his face. Diana looked like she wanted to punch it off.

"I would have done just fine without you." She snapped.

"Keep telling yourself that."

Martha and Jonathan watched them in silence. It was interesting the way they went at it, at first it seemed Clark was acting out of character. Usually he was passive with everyone he met, but with Diana he wasn't, he was forward and sarcastic. He didn't have to worry about overpowering her, or feel like he was imposing anything upon her, because she could take it, and give back just as hard. She could stand up to him physically as well as mentally. Perhaps for the first time, they were seeing Clark as the man he wanted to be. The fact that Diana could bring that out of him, made it easy to love and accept her. Martha and Jonathan looked at each other and smiled, each had the same thought. This woman is right for their son.

* * *

After breakfast, they all retired to the living room, where Martha had pulled out several photo albums from storage. Some of the albums had to be stored very securely, as they had pictures of Clark showing off his powers. Clark sat on one sofa by himself, while Diana sat on the opposite sofa in between Martha and Jonathan. Martha handed her the first album, containing baby pictures of Clark.

"Aww look at him he's so cute!" Diana said with a huge smile. They were looking at a picture of Clark taken very shortly after he was found. He looked to be about four months old and was laying in the crib with a cowboy hat next to him. Diana thought he had the happiest look on his face that anyone could ever have.

The next hour was more of the same. His parents told more silly stories about him, but they didn't bother him so much this time. Seeing Diana smile was worth it, and seeing the joy on his parents faces sold it even further. They probably thought they'd never be able to share these things with anyone. Even his father, who was known for keeping his composure at all times was a little emotional about it. They were happy Diana was here, happy she was in their son's life.

Seeing Clark as a young boy gave Diana another perspective of him. Even as a baby he looked like himself, it was strange to see him like that. How could the chubby little baby in the picture turn into the big strong man in front of her? Looking at another picture she marveled at a three year old Clark standing next to Jonathan, they were both wearing suits and posing for the camera. He and Jonathan didn't really look alike, their facial structures were rather different, but in this picture they looked like a family. Diana was amazed with the Kents, amazed at how they could raise one of the most powerful beings in the universe into the most humble man in universe. They created an unbreakable bond with him, and she reveled in the fact that they seemed to include her in it as well.

* * *

Clark stood in a blue and white plaid shirt rolled up to his elbows, a blue necktie, grey slacks and black shoes, he was dressed and ready ten minutes ago. Now he was in the bedroom impatiently waiting for Diana.

"Why is it you can get dressed in three seconds, but yet I've been waiting for a week and a half for you to get ready to go?"

"Calm down I'll be right out." She shouted through the bathroom door.

About a minute later she stepped out, wearing a baby blue colored dress with a matching long sleeve sweater. "I had to make sure my hair looked right." She said, as she put on her black flat shoes.

He had to admit, her hair looked good, she wore it down, but without her tiara, it looked like her hair had more body. Maybe it was the way it framed her face, or maybe just the fact that he'd never seen it like this but it gave her a much more exotic look. This was a good thing.

"Shall we?" He asked, gesturing toward the door.

"Surely." She answered.

* * *

Upon entering the school Clark and Diana were greeted warmly by several staff members he didn't recognize. They set them up with name tags, and directed them towards the cafeteria where everything was taking place.

"I haven't been here in a long time. Things have changed." Clark said.

"It's been 10 years, did you expect them not to?"

"To be honest I don't know what to expect. As it is, Smallville is six years behind the rest of the country in just about everything, I would imagine the layout of the high school would be no different."

As they walked deeper into the cafeteria Clark began looking for some of his old friends. Deciding to act totally human tonight he chose not to use any super abilities to find anyone, that way it would be easier to be surprised. The music was playing, a few people were dancing, but most were mingling. While he searched, Diana wandered over to a wall of photos featuring Clark's high school class, of course she was searching for pictures of him. The first one she found was him in his football uniform with two other boys. He stood in the center with his helmet tucked under his arm. She couldn't help but think that him playing football was cheating. She smiled at the look on his face, he was trying to look intimidating, but it was clearly a fake look. In fact he looked ridiculous.

"Roids! My man, is that you?" A voice said, speaking to Clark.

"Wow!" Clark said surprised, as he turned towards the voice behind him. He knew who said it, before he even looked. "I didn't expect to hear that nickname ever again."

"Well, you look like you're still taking them. How are you doing Clark? Good to see you again."

"Good to see you too Kirk."

Diana heard Clark talking to someone, so she turned to see him greeting a man as one would an old friend. Quickly checking back to the picture, she saw that he was one of the boys standing next to Clark in the football picture, he was an old teammate. Looking back, she saw he was about Clark's height, but much larger in frame, probably about 300 pounds.

"So what are you doing these days? Surely you left the Ville by now."

"Oh yeah, I'm in Metropolis now, I'm a reporter for the Daily Planet."

"Daily Planet! Alright, not bad, not bad at all."

"How about you?"

"I live in Manhattan, I'm an electrician at Kansas State University."

"Oh alright."

"So let me guess, you and Lana, married, one kid already and maybe another on the way?"

"No actually. We uh... ended things right after college."

Clark and the big man continued their conversation, and when he mentioned marriage, Diana figure this was her queue to enter the conversation.

"But I did bring someone with me tonight." He turned to see Diana walking towards them. "Kirk, this is my girlfriend Diana Prince. Diana this is Kirk Alyn, he and I played football together."

"Yes, I saw your picture over there. It's nice to meet you Kirk." She said pleasantly, shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you too Diana." He then turned back to Clark. "Well then Roids, it was good seeing you again, I'm gonna keep it moving, but I'm sure I'll see you again before the night is over."

Kirk stepped away, and Diana turned to Clark completely confused.

"Roids?" She asked.

"Short for steroids, that's what the football team called me back then, because as a freshmen I could weightlift on par with the seniors. So they joked I was taking steroids, hence the nickname."

"I see."

Clark and Diana moved around the room, sharing customary greetings with many. Diana was surprised at how superficial most of the talk was. It consisted of 'Where are you working now?' 'Are you married? Kids' 'How are your parents?' and not much else. Several people knew Clark worked at the Daily Planet, most didn't. The whole event seemed like a big bore to Diana, and she didn't think Clark was having the best time either. There were still people dancing, she hoped that she and Clark would get a chance to as well. At least then the night wouldn't be a complete waste.

"Clark Kent?"

Clark turned around to see his 9th grade English teacher.

"Mrs. Turner, hi."

"It's so good to see you Clark. I hoped you would make it. With you mingling with superheroes these days I wondered if you forgot about us in Smallville."

"I could never forget about this place."

"I liked your latest Wonder Woman article a lot. You have a talent Clark, you're able to find the real story with her, in a way nobody else has so far. You even convinced me to join the cause." Mrs. Turner lifted her arms to reveal a pair of Wonder Woman bracelets, they were the mid level style, metal cuffs with rhinestones. They looked nice, but had nothing on the genuine article.

"Fantastic, Wonder Woman would be pleased." Clark said.

Diana smiled, she was thrilled to see someone wearing them. She had been getting updates all weekend from Julia about pledges for them, but hadn't seen any since she'd been in Smallville.

"So tell me Clark, is this your girlfriend? Your wife?"

"My girlfriend. Mrs. Turner this is Diana, Diana, this is Mrs. Turner, she was my 9th grade English teacher. She was my favorite teacher in high school, and the early inspiration for me to become a writer."

"Oh stop it Clark." Mrs. Turner blushed a little, and paused. There was something she wanted to ask, and was trying to figure out the best way to go about it. "You know Clark, I'll never forget your end of year essay, about your adopted parents, I still tear up every time I read it. I've always wondered, did you ever look for your birth family?"

Clark paused to think, he wanted to tell her but didn't want to lie, he couldn't tell the whole truth so he had to be careful with his words. "Yeah I found them. They uh, passed away not long after I was born. But I was able to find out a little about them, who they were, where they came from. I even found a first cousin."

"You did! That's wonderful!"

"Yeah it is, she's... studying abroad right now, but I'm really looking forward to getting to know her better really soon."

Mrs. Turner decided not to ask any more, just by looking at him she could tell it was difficult for him. The whole town knew that the Kents couldn't have children on their own and that Clark was adopted. He never made much of anything about it, but anyone who knew him could tell that he wanted to know about his true origins. She was so glad he was able to find something.

* * *

Diana was determined to get him on the dance floor, and after speaking with few more people, including his best friend Pete Ross and Mr. Siegel, his gym teacher and football coach she did just that.

Lana Lang was much later than she wanted to be. Her mother's car didn't want to cooperate and it sputtered all the way to the school. She wasn't sure what to expect when she got there but seeing Clark on the dancefloor with a supermodel wasn't what she expected. She knew he was a great dancer, as she was directly responsible for that, but there was something else about him. He looked happy, he looked relaxed, in a way she hadn't seen before, he definitely didn't look like he was working particularly hard to not hurt his date. She guessed that over the past few years he's learned even greater control over his strength. It was good to see him like that, good to see him not alone.

Diana got herself another cup of punch, and watched Clark take pictures with some of the other football players. They were clowning around, doing some sort of chant, and standing in a circle, with Clark and Kirk in the center. She tried to figure out what they were saying when a young woman approached her. She was pretty, but looked a little apprehensive about speaking with her.

"Hello." The woman said, looking at her nametag. "Diana. I noticed you were dancing with Clark Kent, you're his girlfriend?"

"Yes I am."

"I'm Lana Lang. Clark's old... friend."

"Yes. He told me."

"Look I know you don't know me but could we talk for a minute... outside?"

"Sure."

Diana and Lana left the building, Clark was none the wiser, he was busy having a grand ole time with the guys. He was enjoying himself, something he hadn't expected to do.

Outside, the cool air was refreshing, so many people had made it hot inside. Lana wasn't sure why she wanted to talk to Diana or if it was even a good idea, but was going to give it a go. "I saw you two dancing in there."

"Oh, yes Clark is very good."

"Yeah, he's great." Lana reminisced a little, then continued. "He seemed happy."

"I think so."

"You seemed happy."

"Yes."

"That's good. I'm happy for you. Clark is the kind of man who deserves to be happy, he deserves every good thing this world has to offer. Coming from a small town like this I know that people... talk. I hear that Clark has been a little different lately, mostly about dating. I hope he hasn't been too distant with you."

Sometimes he was, sometimes he wasn't Diana noted, but didn't say anything.

"He and I were together for long time, but we ended pretty abruptly. Did he ever tell you?"

"No."

"Oh." Lana almost stopped, but felt Diana deserved the truth, or at least some form of it. So she continued. "After we finished college, he wanted to move to the big city, and take me with him. He asked me to marry him, but I turned him down. I said I couldn't be the woman he wanted."

"I see."

"I was afraid. Afraid of what might happen to him... us." Lana paused. "I don't know what I'm saying... I guess, just... you shouldn't be afraid, if you want him, accept him for who he is, and what he does. I cared about him, I really did, but as much as I wanted to, there were just some things I couldn't accept."

"You couldn't accept his decision to be Superman." Diana said, rather matter of factly.

Lana stepped back, afraid she had revealed too much. "What?"

"It's ok." Diana assured her. Lana was hurting, and had been for a while, in a way Clark probably didn't even know. "I understand. I don't know what the future holds for Clark and I, but I'm not afraid. I know his secret, and you don't have to hide from me."

Lana watched Diana remove her glasses in a deliberate manner. At first it didn't make any sense but then she saw it. Wonder Woman!

"Oh my... You're... I can't believe it." Lana now knew why Clark looked so happy, and why he wasn't holding back on the dance floor. Diana was as tough as he was, which meant he didn't have to. She was so glad for him. "This changes everything."

"Yes, I think it does."

"I just wanted you to accept it if he ever told you." Lana laughed. "I guess this worked out for the best. I always wondered if you knew who he was, with him always being the one to interview you, but I had no idea you were together. So all the rumors are true?"

"No not really, we only started dating about a month ago."

Diana and Lana spent the next 20 minutes talking before re-joining everyone else. Lana felt normal again. Living far away from Clark wasn't so difficult, even seeing him on the news every other day wasn't so bad. But the thought of seeing Clark again was a different story. She nearly didn't come back for the reunion, but once she learned he was bringing someone she was determined to meet and speak with her, despite the fact that she had no plan of what she was going to say. Of course she had no clue it would be Wonder Woman.

* * *

Back in the truck, Clark and Diana were heading home.

"So did you have a good time?" Diana asked.

"I did actually. Much more than I thought. There were a lot more people than I expected. Except for I didn't see Lana. Which is weird because I know she's in town."

"You saw her yesterday when you went for your walk?"

"Yeah." He wasn't sure why he didn't tell her until now.

"She was there. I saw her."

"Really?"

"Yes, she introduced herself after she saw us dancing, we talked for quite a while. She was pretty shaken up about you, so I told her the truth about me, about who I am. I think it calmed her down a little bit."

"Oh wow. What did she say?"

"She was glad, for both of us. It lifted a weight off of her shoulders."

"Oh, I guess there were some things I should have told you. I'm sorry I didn't."

"It's ok. I understand why you didn't, I think. No matter how strong you are, facing someone who hurt you is a very difficult thing." She thought of her mother, who was having such difficulty dealing with her pain.

Clark took another look at Diana. She was amazing. Any other woman would probably be furious at him for being so secretive about and ex girlfriend, but she wasn't. She was so forgiving, and understanding, he almost couldn't believe she was with him.

Martha and Jonathan were asleep when they returned so they floated through the house in order to not disturb them. Floating into the bathroom they brushed their teeth, then they took turns changing into their pajamas.

"Goodnight." He said, and started towards the door.

"Wait." She grabbed his arm and pulled him into a kiss, it was brief, but it was still nice. "Now goodnight." She said after breaking it.

Before Clark could get comfortable downstairs on the sofa, he heard the voice again. Lana was calling him from the big tree. He didn't get to see her at the reunion, and they were leaving tomorrow, so now would probably be the best time for them to speak.

He flew out rather quickly, he didn't feel as bad as he did before. Diana seemed to have started the healing process for him, hopefully Lana could continue it.

"You were at home. I wasn't sure, I thought maybe you were out with Kirk and Pete." Lana said, she had been sitting at the base of the tree, apparently prepared to wait for a while. "I wanted to talk to you before, but you guys were getting rowdy, I didn't want to ruin the fun. Sorry if I woke you or anything."

"It's fine, we just got in not long ago. So what's up?"

"I spoke with Wonder... Diana. She told me everything."

"Yeah, she told me."

"That's really good, she seems good for you."

"Thanks."

"You said the other day, that you wanted to be friends again. So do I, but to do that there are things I need to get off my chest first."

"Ok."

"I loved you Clark, with all my heart, but I would not have been able to live with myself if we had stayed to together. I felt like being with you would be selfish, and that I'd never let you be who you really are. I would have held you back as Superman, because I wouldn't be able handle seeing you be hurt, without the ability to help you. I also would have held you back as a man. You can barely feel it when I touch you, and I know you said it didn't matter, but I know it would. Eventually you would have gotten frustrated and you would have resented me for it. I never wanted that. Please don't think I'm trying to hurt you again by saying this, but I want you to listen to me. Don't let any past hurt get in the way of your future. With Diana you have a chance to have what you truly want, a woman who can love you, and be loved by you in return. Don't ruin it because of something I did."

"Thank you." Clark said after several minutes. When he asked her to marry him, she just said no and that was the end of it. He never knew how she truly felt, to get it out there lifted a weight off his shoulders.

"Goodnight Clark."

"Goodnight Lana."

When he made it back to the house he felt good, really good. He liked to think that he had gotten over Lana years ago, but maybe he didn't. For the first time he didn't feel depressed when he thought of her. He had closure.

He also had Diana, who had seen just about every aspect of his life, and didn't look like she was going anywhere, anytime soon. It was a great feeling.


	13. Chapter 13

Once she left the farm, Diana had to get back to work for the foundation, she had taken the time off to be with Clark, but she needed to be there. Her schedule was full, commercial shoots, photo shoots, tv interviews, and a few speaking engagements. After tonights Justice League meeting, she wouldn't have much time to see Clark for a while. Whenever she had free time, he would be working at the Planet. Whenever he was off work, she had some event to attend. The more she thought about it, it might be a good thing that they'll be away from each other for a while. As much as she liked being in a relationship with Clark, she didn't need her life to be defined by it. They could meet each other anywhere in the world within seconds, but spending every waking moment together seemed like overkill. The quality of the time spent together was more important than quantity.

She also wanted to meet other people, her talk with Lana reminded her of the fact that she didn't have very many friends. She had her sisters on Themyscira, her Justice League colleagues and the staff who worked at her foundation, but aside from Julia none of them could really be considered friends. They only saw her as a superpowered demi-goddess, and not so much as a woman who had the same needs and wants as anyone else did.

"Hello Diana." Julia said, as she entered Diana's office.

"Hello Julia."

"Did you enjoy your time away? Or can you not talk about it?"

"I think it's best if I don't talk about it, but I can say it was most interesting." Diana usually doesn't say what she's doing when not at the foundation anyway. Most assume it's Justice League related, so generally no one asks.

"How do you like Metropolis so far? Have you seen Superman?"

"Metropolis has been very nice, living there has been a nice change from what I had been doing. As far as Superman, I don't see him all that often unless there's some sort of emergency. Which there hasn't been lately."

"I see. He's kind of a recluse isn't he? Like the Batman?"

"I wouldn't call him a recluse." Diana said.

"Well he is an alien. I guess he's doing 'alien' things when he's not saving the world."

Diana didn't respond. Julia knew by now that when Diana stopped talking, it was time to stop asking questions. Conversations about Superman were generally off limits anyway, Julia could never quite figure out what was up with the two of them. She beat him up immediately upon meeting him, he forgave her, then convinced the rest of the world to forgive her, and now she only says they're friends, and he generally says nothing. Could they secretly be in a relationship like the gossip rags speculate? Is that why she moved to Metropolis, or are they working on something for the Justice League that hasn't come to light yet?

"Anyway." Julia continued. "I just spoke with the producer of the talk show you're doing tomorrow, they've confirmed your list of no go areas, and have sent the list of questions the hosts will ask. Is there anything else you need from me to prepare?"

"What should I wear?" Diana asked.

"Wear your armor, that's what they asked for."

"Ok."

* * *

Clark was laying across the sofa watching a baseball game, he needed to unwind before the meeting tonight, which would be about nothing just like the one before. Work hadn't been very good, Lois was in an awful mood towards everyone, and Perry gave him a hard time about something he didn't even know about, that at the moment he couldn't even remember. Quite frankly, he missed Diana, and he knew he wouldn't see her all that often for the next little while. She had a tv interview tomorrow, so she couldn't stay after the League meeting very long in order to prepare for it. He understood how important her work was to her, and knew she wouldn't let him get in the way of that, but hoped they'd be able to steal a little time away together. However when she was free again, they definitely would make plans. Clark tried to think of what they might do when the doorbell rang. Looking through the door, he saw it was Lois. She didn't visit very often, but the door man knew who she was. Lois was leaning on the door, and was going to fall the second he opened it. Resigning to it, he prepared to catch her.

"Ahh!" Lois screamed, as she fell into Clark's arms. He straightened her up and closed the door, that's when she got a good look at him. "Oh my god Clark, why are you naked!?"

Clark looked down at himself, he was wearing only a pair of basketball shorts and his house shoes, since he was alone he hadn't bothered to put on a shirt. He certainly wasn't naked, halfway maybe. "It's my house. What are you doing here anyway?"

"I had an awful day! And has anybody told you, that you have a bodybuilders chest?" Lois reached out to touch him, but quickly pulled her hand back. "Sorry." She said sheepishly after realized what she almost had done.

It was evident to Clark that Lois had been drinking, she wasn't drunk, not yet but clearly she'd knocked a few back after work. "Let me go put on a shirt. Uh, have a seat."

Clark went into his bedroom to put on a t-shirt while Lois hobbled over to the couch. She was walking really weird, and it didn't seem like a drunk walk. On her right foot she seemed several inches taller than her left. "Why was your day so awful?" Clark said exiting his room and sitting on the chair next to her.

"First Perry gives me an earful for, for... I don't know what."

"Yeah. I got that too."

"Then my source bailed on me, and to top it all off, my heel is broken."

"Your heel is broken? Why are you here, shouldn't you be at the hospital?"

"Not my heel! My heel! 700 dollar shoes, completely ruined!" Lois held out her right foot, and sure enough where the heel was supposed to be, there was nothing. That's why she was walking so funny.

"Wait a minute...700 dollars!" Clark was incredulous. It took a second for him to process the number she said, but that was almost an entire paycheck! "What kind of shoe costs that much?"

"Manolo Blahniks Clark, and they were on sale!"

Clark was wide eyed, he never spent more than a hundred dollars for a pair of shoes. What was so special about these? They didn't look that great, however they might look good on Diana. Lois dropped her head into her hands and sighed loudly.

"Clark, am I a good reporter?" Lois asked glumly, looking back at him.

"Of course you are. You're a great reporter."

"Then why don't I feel like it?" Lois slouched back in her seat. "I used to get every good story, now I can't even get a source to talk to me."

"That won't last, you'll find yourself in the middle of something really soon."

"I like to think that I'm good, but sometimes I just wonder, was it Superman that did all that?" Here it is. How many conversations with Lois ends up with Superman as the topic? These conversations used to bother Clark. It was weird to talk about himself like that, but over the years it became natural.

"Well he certainly didn't hurt your career."

"I know, but before that, was I good?"

"Of course you were. Chief said you were the best he'd seen in years." Clark had to think back to his early days at the Planet, he'd only known Lois for about a month before Superman became a fixture in Metropolis. He didn't know much about her work before that. "You were good, Superman just made you a household name."

"Where do you think he is?" Lois asked suddenly "With the world safe, he's almost never around these days."

"He put out an apartment fire just last week, and there are still reports of him flying around. There's just nothing to do."

"Makes you wonder. What is he like when he's not saving the world? What does he do with his free time? What are his likes and dislikes? Who is he?"

"He doesn't tell you?"

"No. Not really, he always give cryptic answers when I ask things like that. Once I asked him, 'How long have you been on earth?' and he said 'Long enough to know it's my home.' What does that even mean?" Lois shifted again, as if she couldn't get comfortable. "I wish I knew him. I'd love just once to have a real conversation with him."

Clark didn't answer. If only she knew, she'd been having real conversations with him for years. If only.

* * *

On the Watchtower people were gathering early, rumors had been rampant about Clark & Diana all day. Since Clark & Diana were known for being on time for meetings, but most often not early for them, everyone else wanted to get in their conversations before they arrived. Zatanna and Vixen were sitting at a table in the cafeteria with Hal and Wally.

"They were in his hometown, at his parents house. She just moved to Metropolis, what else could it be?" Zatanna said.

"You never know with them, one day we think they're hooking up, the next day we don't. What does it matter anyway?" Vixen asked.

"It doesn't matter." Zatanna responded.

"Why do I get the feeling you're not too happy about this Zee?" Hal said.

"Because she wants her shot at the big guy." Wally interjected.

Zatanna narrowed her eyes at him. "I never said that."

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Hal suddenly said.

"What isn't?" Zee asked.

"You and Superman? Wouldn't he like... rip you apart?"

"What? No!" Zee said the word 'no' but the others weren't convinced that she believed that she'd get through a night with Superman unharmed.

Hearing the conversation, Dinah, Ollie, and Shayera joined them. By now Wally and Hal were going down the list of possible women for Superman.

"Diana?" Wally asked.

"Clearly yes." Hal answered.

"Zatanna?"

"He has issues with magic, so he might be a little weaker, but I'm leaning towards no."

"Dinah?"

"No" Hal answered quickly. Dinah wasn't happy about it, but had to concede the truth.

"Mari?"

"Don't drag me into this!"

"Ok, sorry. What about Shayera?"

"Maybe?" Hal said, looking at Shayera, who had a frown on her face. "You're pretty strong, but I don't know if you're _that_ strong."

"It doesn't matter anyway. I'm not interested in Clark." Shayera stated.

Wally stated "It doesn't matter if you're interested. We're trying to figure out who..."

"Barda!" Dinah suddenly shouted. "She's as tough as Diana is, Barda could definitely handle Clark!"

"Wow Dinah, you seem really excited about this." Ollie said.

"What?"

"Hello everyone!" Said a happy voice, causing all of them to turn suddenly and look sheepish. Diana stood before them with a big smile on her face. "What's going on?"

"Uh. Nothing?" Hal stammered.

"They're talking about you and Clark... Again." Mari stated.

"Oh." Diana said.

"We were just curious why you were in Kansas over the weekend, and if your move to Metropolis had anything to do with Clark." Zatanna added.

Diana scanned the group. They all looked like they were waiting for an answer.

"I'm learning how to blend in. Kal is helping me adjust to having a secret identity." That wasn't a total lie, they never decided if they were going to tell anyone yet. Hopefully they would buy it until she had a chance to speak with him.

"So you met his parents?" Zatanna asked.

"Yes. What's wrong with that?"

"Are you two hooking up?" Shayera finally blurted out.

"What?" Diana stammered. "No we aren't hooking up! We're... we're..."

"Dating." Clark said, coming up behind Diana and putting his hands on her shoulders. He heard the conversation from several levels down, and figured he could smooth the situation out.

"Yes." Diana said, placing her hands on top of his and leaning into him. She was glad he showed up out of nowhere. She realized she didn't want to lie.

Mari and Ollie's expressions didn't change much. It wasn't much of a surprise to them. Zatanna looked slightly upset, but was trying to hide it. Everyone else was wide eyed. Several seconds later, Hal raised his fists in victory as if just realizing what happened. "Pay me! All of you pay up!" He looked back at Clark and Diana. Diana was beginning to look angry, and Clark was silently shaking his head trying to get Hal to shut up. Diana turned back to Clark, who stopped nodding as soon as she could see him.

"Pay you? Pay you for what?" Diana was angry. Hal tried to step away, but she didn't let him. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing." Hal lied.

"Talk! Now!" She demanded.

"We were betting on you and Clark getting together. I won." He admitted regretfully.

"You were betting on me? Clark did you know about this?"

"No?" Clark clearly wasn't telling the truth, it was in his voice and on his face. When she put her hand on her lasso Clark knew he had to fess up. "Yes I knew. But I didn't take place in any of it. In fact I was never even in the room when they talked about it. I don't think they knew I could hear them."

"I told you he could hear everything." Wally whispered to Hal.

"Shut up." Hal whispered back.

"Nobody is paying anything! I will not be bet on like some racehorse!" Diana then angrily stormed off to the conference room.

"Thank you Hal. Thank you oh so much. I said sarcastically." Clark then walked away briskly, following Diana.

The meeting went just as expected, still, nobody is busy but the Batman. He's refusing help after his big drug bust, as usual. However this time, the rest of the team refused to leave him alone in Gotham with no backup. Until the drug bust thing blew over, there would be a superpowered ally on call for Batman and John Stewart was first up. But that almost didn't matter, the elephant in the room was Diana's foul mood. Since discovering the others had been betting on her and Clark, she was very upset. As was Clark, less so about the betting but about having to be the one who had to deal with Diana's anger. If Hal could have just kept his mouth shut, it wouldn't have mattered.

* * *

"I can't believe they would do this!" Diana shouted, they were in her quarters, a place she hadn't been for quite a while, and a place that Clark had never been until now.

"It's what people do, it's childish."

"You knew about it?"

"Yeah, I heard people talking about it, what was I supposed to do?"

"I don't know."

"They've been talking about us forever. Us training together, going to the fortress, sitting next to each other at meetings, the fact that you're the only person who ever called me Kal, and that you recently started calling me Clark. A lot of them are surprised we waited this long. It's no different than down there." Clark pointed out the window towards the earth. "We're hounded constantly about it by the media. They probably get asked about us too. Did you think they wouldn't be curious?"

"I don't like the idea of people gambling about our lives."

"Neither do I. I heard about it, and I ignored it. They weren't even aware that I knew about it. Maybe I should have said something, it might have made a difference. But who knows?" Clark paced around the room. "Being able to hear like me is a gift and a curse, there's a lot of things I wish I couldn't hear, believe me. But right now, they're ending the betting, they're feeling bad about making you this angry."

"Good." Diana softened, but was still clearly angry.

"So how tight is your schedule coming up?" He wanted to change the subject.

"Pretty tight, I've made plans in case of any emergency during any event I'm doing, but other than that I'll be very busy for the next week."

"Alright, we'll see if we can't steal away a dinner or two, but when this is over, its you and me. We'll do something fun. Ok?"

"Yes." Diana smiled for the first time since learning of the bets. "Something fun, does that mean more dancing?"

"It could mean many things, my lovely lady." Clark said as he took her hand and twirled her around, finally ending in an embrace.

Diana was finding that Clark knew just how to cheer her up. Just a few dance steps and she perked up immediately. The anger at the others was quickly brushed away. "It's getting late, I should go and rest up for my interview tomorrow."

"Alright, goodnight Diana."

"Goodnight Clark."

As he began to leave Diana suddenly felt something was missing. Just before he got to the door she suddenly shouted. "Wait!"

"What?" Clark said turning back to her.

"The last few nights we've said goodnight with a kiss. I think we should make that a thing."

"Oh really? I think I could get on board with that. Goodnight Diana." He then leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her lips.

That wasn't enough for Diana, she didn't want a soft kiss. She wanted more. When he pulled away, she immediately pulled him back, and gave him a passionate kiss that nearly made her knees buckle. His too. "Now goodnight." She said after ending the kiss. Clark smiled, and then left the room. Diana had to admit to herself, she certainly enjoyed kissing, and would miss it during their time away from each other.


	14. Chapter 14

The workday was going smoothly so far for Clark, he had gotten Perry off his case over the outburst from yesterday, and there had again been no emergencies. However there was something different about Lois. She wasn't acknowledging what happened yesterday with her broken heel and self doubts, but he could tell there was something still lingering. She was still in her funk, and always the hero, Clark wanted to get her out of it. If only he knew how.

Diana was probably still taping her television interview, he had sent her a message earlier, but she had not responded yet. He couldn't get her out of his mind. Even though they've only been together a short time, it was obvious this was the strongest relationship he'd ever been in. With Lana there had been apprehension on her part, and that led to her ending it, with everyone else there was the web of lies that hung over everything. Keeping Superman a secret doomed any chance he had with anyone, but telling the truth would expose them to danger. Not to mention a physical relationship would be nearly impossible. He could depower himself, which he did with Lana, but it still didn't work. Using red solar energy lowered his strength, but it also lowered all of his senses. He could feel her better at full strength, but had to be so careful not to hurt her that it was easier not to bother. He always told her it didn't matter, but she was right, it did. With Diana that wasn't a problem, he felt everything she did on a level he didn't understand until he met her. He felt a hug from his mother, or a handshake from his father and spent life assuming it was normal to barely register their touch. For most of his life the only thing he truly felt was pain dished out by a super powered villain. Until Diana, she was the first person to touch him tenderly. The first time they shook hands he suddenly knew what it felt like to touch another person, to finally feel what everyone else took for granted. She was amazing, and somehow he knew it from the beginning, even after being lassoed and beat up he knew she was special. It was why he forgave her in the first place. He wasn't counting on her becoming his girlfriend in those days, but he didn't want her to be his enemy.

"Hey Clark, do you have any idea what's going on with Lois?" Jimmy asked, walking up behind him.

"She broke her heel yesterday. On some fancy shoes. Maybe she's still mad about that?"

"I don't know, those would have to be some pretty expensive shoes for her to be acting like this."

"700 dollars."

"Damn! Who buys shoes for that? I don't pay more than sixty."

"I don't go much over a hundred." Clark added.

"I know Lois makes more money than us, but that's got to be almost a whole paycheck."

"Close to it."

Clark checked his email, there was a new message with the subject line 'Smallville Reunion Pics' that he assumed were taken this weekend. He opened the message and went through about 40 pictures. There were a few with Kirk, and some of the other football players, and a few with Diana, both on the dance floor and standing together for the camera.

"Who's that?" Jimmy asked, indicating a picture on the screen of he and Kirk.

"Kirk Alyn, a high school football buddy. He protected my blindside, back in Smallville."

"Wait, I thought you played receiver?"

"That was in college. I played quarterback in high school. He and I were team captains, along with another guy named Dean. But he wasn't there."

"High school reunion?"

"Yep. I went back home last weekend for it."

"Oh, cool." Jimmy said. "Woah, who's the pretty lady?" Clark had scrolled down to more pictures.

"That is my girlfriend Diana. She went with me, we had a pretty good time."

"I didn't know you were dating anyone."

"Really? She came to the office not too long ago. I figured you would have heard about it."

"Not a word. Does she have a sister?"

Instead of answering Clark just laughed. Instead of lying, he'd let Jimmy come to his own conclusions.

"That's what I figured."

"Olsen, what are you standing around for? Get to it!" Perry yelled from his doorway after seeing Jimmy talking to Clark for too long.

"Right Chief I'm on it. Later C.K." Jimmy then hurried away.

Clark briefly wondered what Jimmy was supposed to be doing, then he scrolled down to another picture of he and Diana dancing and he completely forgot about Jimmy. She had just completed a spin, and was moving back to be closer to him, she had the happiest smile on her face. He missed that smile.

* * *

Diana was so glad for the television shoot to be over. After finishing, she flew back to her apartment in Metropolis. Filming went well, she felt it would be a great venue to get her message out, but the hostess was annoying. Diana refused to talk about Superman, which meant the hostess took it upon herself to talk about him. She went on and on about his dashing good looks, and how much she wanted to see what was under the red and blue tights. She even asked Diana if she would set up a date with Superman for her, 'in the name of sisterhood.' Diana had to struggle to keep her cool, her first thought was to toss the woman out the nearest window, but that would have been a terrible mistake. She couldn't get bent out of shape over a man, much less Superman. It would be a dead giveaway that they were together, and that was something neither of them wanted the public to know.

Clark was still at work, and would be for a while. As Diana sat on her sofa she couldn't help but think about their relationship and how it was progressing. She had learned so much in their short time together, that her views on life were changing. Maybe her message of sisterhood and solidarity was shortsighted. In the beginning of her time in man's world she thought that men were unnecessary. That no woman ever needed a man, which she still felt was true, but didn't tell the whole story. She didn't need Clark in her life, she wanted him, and there was a drastic difference between the two. Women can work hard and make it in this world, more or less on their own, but having a partner made life better. Martha had taught her that, neither she or Jonathan could take care of the farm on their own, they did it together. Each doing tasks that the other couldn't do or didn't want to. Everything they did was made stronger because of their bond to each other. It was the first time she'd seen a relationship first hand. Julia talked about how much she loved her husband, and how great he was, but he passed away before Diana could meet him. She heard stories of strong relationships, but the Kents were the first she'd seen in practice. At first Diana didn't understand how two people could be together so long and still have disagreements. They were arguing when she first met them, over something silly, but two minutes later it was is if it never happened. They also teased each other, airing grievances about the others habits, mostly in fun, but they did it several times during her stay. Mostly it was Jonathan, complaining about the quirky things Martha did. Such as refusing to put her purse on the floor out of fear she'll lose money. Jonathan hated that because the purse sometimes ended up in the space he wanted to sit, he complained about it several times. Much of it, Martha simply ignored, and Jonathan reacted as if he expected her to. Diana began to realize that Clark was the same way. He did it at the breakfast table during their argument about catching the plane. He wasn't trying to make her angry, he was just trying to be funny. There was no malicious intent, he just wanted her to react to it. If she brushed him off, he might not do it. Also she had plenty of ways to get a reaction out of him too.

She had been right about some things about relationship though, their strong friendship was a good thing. She wanted to be with Clark in the first place because he was her friend. She was certainly glad she made that decision, the dynamic of their relationship didn't change drastically. They simply shared more than before, spending more time together, and sharing more personal things about themselves. And of course there was the physical part, they were free to touch each other now, which Diana found very exciting, it's probably why she liked dancing so much. His hands on her felt good, he'd never done anything inappropriate, she felt totally comfortable with what he's done so far. She didn't think she was ready yet, but the thought of one day doing more was thrilling, and when the time came, she would welcome it. Unfortunately right now, Clark wasn't around and she was hungry. Clark was good at finding a quality meal, weather he made it himself or not. She was going to venture out to find something by herself.

Diana was standing in line at a sandwich shop, she was last in line, with several people ahead of her. The club sandwich looked pretty good, she decided she would order that.

"Oh, my god that dress looks fantastic!" said a woman who walked in and got in line behind Diana.

"Thank you." Diana said politely. She turned to get a look at the woman complementing her. She had light brown hair, was just under six feet tall, with body as curvy as Diana's, one thing that struck Diana was that the woman had different colored eyes, her left eye was brown and her right eye was green.

Diana was wearing a somewhat modest lavender sundress that reached just below her knees. The other woman was wearing a much more revealing sundress that was yellow, and clearly too short, which she remedied by wearing skintight black yoga pants underneath. She also wore a pair of silver Wonder Woman bracelets.

"It fits you beautifully... you know I try to find things like this, but it's just so hard. I hope you don't mind me asking, where did you get it?"

"Um, I made it." Diana responded.

"Wow, that's awesome. You look gorgeous in it. I'm Shannon." She said holding out her hand.

"Diana." She returned the handshake.

Diana and Shannon spent the next half hour eating lunch and talking. Shannon had an excitable personality that just clicked with Diana. She wasn't intimidated, or in awe of her. They talked mostly about fashion, men, and other current events. They also shared their support for Wonder Woman and her cause, of course Diana was Wonder Woman, but Shannon didn't know that. Since she'd adopted the Diana Prince identity, she had very little personal contact with anyone. She only dealt with people who were working, cashiers, clerks and such. Of course there had been Lana, but with Shannon it was different, she could let her guard down a little bit and just be a woman. She wasn't planning on revealing her identity, but she would enjoy something she's never really had since coming to Man's World: a friend.

* * *

Clark was bored out of his mind. Diana hadn't responded to his message yet, he had no idea what she was doing at this point. He had his notebook for short stories out, and a baseball game on the tv, but he wasn't paying much attention to either. He tried to think of what he did with his free time before Diana became a fixture in his life, and for the life of him he couldn't think of it. He berated himself, it appeared he was becoming 'that guy.' The guy who's a mope when the lady in his life is not around. Clark however was determined not to do go there, so instead he got John Stewart to switch off of Batman's backup tonight, which he was happy to do.

"What are you doing here?" Bruce asked, when he saw Alfred leading Clark down into the batcave.

"I didn't have anything else to do so I'm your backup tonight."

"Ok. The everything here works just like the watchtower, my suit has a tracking beacon..."

"Hold on, hold on. I'm not going to just sit here all night, I could do that at home. I'm hitting the streets."

Bruce wanted to protest, but knew it would be a losing battle. When Clark was determined, there was little anyone could do to stop him. "Stay in the shadows." Bruce demanded.

"I can do that."

Bruce finished the function checks on all of his equipment, and put it all on, the armor, belt, cape and cowl. There was a calm to him as he did it, a calm that Clark wished he wasn't seeing. Clark himself was a man of many faces, but the more time passed he suspected that the Batman was the true face, and Bruce Wayne was the mask. Batman then silently strolled towards the Batmobile, Clark quickly changed into his Superman uniform and followed.

As Batman maneuvered the vehicle down the road away from the cave towards the city, Clark couldn't help but marvel. "This path is pretty well hidden, you'd have to get drunk and lost to find this place."

"That's the idea."

"So are there any leads on who the big drug kingpin is?"

"Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend?" Batman said, not answering the question that was asked.

"She's not around. Busy all week. Are you not going to answer my question?"

"Wasn't planning on it."

"Of course."

Clark turned to watch the road, getting the Batman to talk was a chore sometimes, he suddenly wondered if he didn't talk much because speaking in a gravelly voice was difficult to sustain. However Clark's silly thoughts were put to an end when he thought about where he was, this was Batman's territory, and he needed to be mindful of his methods, and making jokes was definitely not the Batman's method.

Clark respected the hell out of Bruce, he had not choice but to do so. He was a regular human who held his own in a room full of superpowered aliens and metahumans. He also had the habit of figuring out everything five minutes before everyone else did.

"People have been getting sick in the subways." Batman was finally giving out details. "Some are getting flu like symptoms, some are worse, six people have ended up in the emergency room, and two have landed in the psych ward."

"Toxic fumes?" Clark asked.

"Maybe."

"Assuming this is deliberate and not some crazy fluke, who would do this? Joker? Scarecrow?"

"More likely Scarecrow. Joker would plaster his name across everything, so I'd know that it was him."

"So I take it we're going to the subway station?"

Batman didn't answer. Clark didn't have to wait very long for his answer though, as they pulled into a dark alley near a subway entrance and exited the vehicle.

"Trains are shut down." Clark observed aloud. He couldn't hear any movement on the rails, or see any people inside the station. It was just after midnight, he figured there would be many people coming or going from late shift jobs. There was no security, but there were blocks at the entrances of the subways which they cleared easily.

Once inside, Batman walked the tunnels searching for anything out of the ordinary that could be causing problems for subway riders. Superman followed not far behind, not looking very hard, 'staying in the shadows' as he'd been requested to do. "So how are things with Diana?" Batman suddenly asked.

"Good?" Clark was caught completely off guard, he did not expect to be asked anything about Diana, and definitely not here. "But I assume you already knew that."

"I knew what was happening when she asked for the ID, I was just waiting for you to say something."

"Didn't know what to say. Do you have a problem with it?"

"No... Not yet anyway."

"Yet?"

"Until you lose objectivity, I have no problems with either of you. Things have been quiet lately, but we both know it won't stay that way. You two are far and away the strongest of all of us, if one of you runs off to save the other, the rest of us get hung out to dry."

"That won't happen."

"That's what you say now." Batman then stepped away without another word. Clark was left hanging, figuring there was more to be said.

"And?"

"I found something." There was a passageway, that led down underneath the subways. Batman went through, followed by Superman.

"Underground tunnels." Clark said matter of factly. "Like the Seattle Underground."

"This isn't on any of the city schematics. I didn't know this was here."

"Really? I saw them a long time ago. Are you sure aren't in the records?" Clark didn't need to ask, he knew the answer. Bruce Wayne could get access to just about any city record he wanted to, enough money could get a person just about anywhere in Gotham. There must have been a reason these tunnels were kept secret.

"There's definitely something going on down here. Looks like a drug lab." Clark observed.

"Looks like they cleared out fairly recently too." There were tables everywhere, large cooking pots and hot plates. Batman removed a scanner from his belt to examine the remnants of what was left in one of the pots.

"Drugs?"

"No. Something else, it's a chemical combination I've never seen before. I'll need to study it."

He scanned several more pots, finding that all of them had the same chemical remnants. He would need different equipment to find out what exactly they were mixing, but the data he gathered would be enough to do so at a later time. So Superman and Batman proceeded to destroy what was left of the remaining materials, just in case whoever was there decided to return. They left the tunnels to monitor what was going on at street level. A few drug deals, several B&E's, nothing Batman couldn't handle on his own. Clark stayed in the shadows as requested.

* * *

It was just after 4AM when Clark returned to his apartment, he could get a few hours of sleep before going to work, not that he needed it. Before laying down, he checked his phone for any message from Diana, still nothing.

"I'm definitely 'that guy." Clark said to himself.

Clark woke up two hours later to a ringing phone. Looking at the caller ID he saw it was Diana. He immediately woke up to answer. "Hello."

"Hey you. Were you sleeping?"

"Yeah but it's fine. I was going to get up soon anyway. How did the shoot go?"

"It went ok, the hostess kept talking about you, despite the fact that I asked her not to. I guess that's part of the price to get my message out."

"I guess, so what's on the agenda for today?"

"A photo shoot in New York, and then a charity dinner in France."

"Oh, that's pretty much all day. What about tomorrow?"

"I'm speaking with Girl Scouts in Dallas, then I'm meeting my friend for dinner in Metropolis, after that I have monitor duty."

"Your friend?" Clark asked, he wasn't aware she knew anyone in Metropolis that well.

"Yes, Shannon, I met her the other day."

"Oh ok that's cool. Making new friends is always good."

"I'm sorry we haven't had any time together, but I promise Friday is just for us."

"Good, because I have big plans."

"Like what?"

"Something new and exciting. That's all you need know."

"Oh, it's a surprise, I'm looking forward to it. But in the meantime, I need to go, I'll talk to you soon. Bye."

"Bye."

* * *

The next two days flew by for Clark, he and Diana started off each morning with a brief phone conversation that helped him power through the day. His latest article assignment had a very uplifting subject, about two young siblings who were displaying high levels of intelligence, which Clark thought may be at a metahuman level. Superman put out a small fire at a museum, which an elementary school class just happened to be at. The admiration from the children was nice. He didn't get warm receptions from everyone.

However at the forefront of his mind was the reception he'd get from Diana when she returned. He couldn't wait for their date, he had something special planned and hoped she would enjoy it.


	15. Chapter 15

Hippolyta had been pacing back and forth in her personal library for the past 20 minutes. Phillips sat in a nearby chair half reading a book, and poking fun at Hippolyta for acting so anxious. "Wearing a hole in the floor won't make this decision any easier you know."

"Neither does your jesting Phillipus." Hippolyta said sourly.

"Very well my queen. Ask yourself this, which one will best protect you from harm? Kara or Donna?"

"Either one will do equally as well, of that I am confident. There is no difference between the two." Hippolyta stated flatly.

"Which one is most knowledgeable of Man's World?"

"Neither one knows very much of it. You're aware of this, why are you asking me?"

"I'm helping you come to your decision. Now, they are nearly equal in power, and equally ignorant in their knowledge of Man's World. The question you must ask yourself is which one can you best control?"

Hippolyta stopped. The decision was practically made for her, there wasn't anything else to do.

"Very well, Phillipus. My mind is made." Hippolyta was confident in her decision, but she was in no way happy about it. She then stormed out of the room, with much less grace than a queen was supposed to have, directly towards her daughter's rooms.

Donna was laying in bed eating grapes when her mother entered. "Donna."

"Yes mother."

"Prepare yourself, very soon you will escort me to Man's World."

Donna jumped up, very excited. "What?"

"I want to explore the world that this 'Clark Kent' comes from, and I wish you to accompany me, as my daughter, and as my protector."

Donna was so happy she couldn't contain herself. In her excitement she began slowly rising from the floor. "This is going to be so incredible. I can't believe I'm finally going to see it."

"Donna! Calm yourself, we must travel inconspicuously. There are perils of this world I do not wish to meet, you are only to use your power when I allow you, is that clear?"

"Yes mother."

After her mother left, Donna jumped up and down in excitement, the flew as quickly as she could to Kara so she could tell her the news.

* * *

Diana was excited for her date. She tried to get him to clue her in on what he had planned, but he refused, only saying it was something special. She stood in her closet trying to decide what to wear. It didn't matter all that much, because if her attire wasn't appropriate it would take all of 30 seconds to return home and change. Regardless of that, she wanted to look good. Diana settled on a yellow halter dress that showed off a little bit more leg than usual, and black flats for her feet. Grabbing her glasses and her handbag she stepped outside her balcony, and discreetly flew down to a secluded spot in the park not far from her building. Clark asked her to use his apartment entrance, so she had to walk part of the way.

Clark asked Diana to be at his apartment at 5:00, looking at the clock, he saw that she should arrive any second now. He was excited to see her, and excited for the events of tonight. He started fidgeting and checking around the apartment to make sure everything was in order. Not that it mattered, they wouldn't be spending more than a few minutes here anyway.

He listened for her as she spoke to the door man and came up the elevator. Before she could ring the bell he opened the door for her.

"Hi Clark."

"Hi."

He quickly closed the door and quickly pulled Diana in for a passionate kiss. She didn't resist and gave in immediately, almost like she expected him to do it.

"I think you're happy to see me." Diana finally said after breaking away.

"I think I've been waiting to do that all week."

"You've been thinking about me. Good." Diana then took notice of Clark's casual clothing. He was wearing blue jean shorts and a tank top. "Are you ready to go?"

"Almost. But you're not, that outfit isn't going to work." She was just a little too fancy for where they were going.

"What should I wear? Where are we going anyway?"

"I got you something, and where we're going is still a surprise."

Clark disappeared into his bedroom while Diana stepped further into the apartment, setting her bag down on his kitchen counter to wait. He returned a few seconds later, with a shipping box. He also had on a different shirt, now wearing a white short sleeve button up shirt with red two stripes down the center and a old english script 'M' on the left side of the chest. He handed her the box and she removed the contents, there was a blue denim skirt and a similar button up shirt to the one Clark had, but hers had a 'Metropolis' written in fancy script across the front, and the back was embroidered with the name Prince and the number 21. Also in the box was a cap with the same 'M' that was on Clark's shirt. Diana examined the clothes, then Clark, and it suddenly dawned on her what was happening. He was taking her to a baseball game!

* * *

Clark took the exit off the freeway and began to make his way towards the entertainment district of Metropolis. Since the major sports arenas were constructed, the area had become the unofficial second downtown for Metropolis. There were many bars, restaurants and retail outlets in the area to take advantage of the sports crowd. It became a hub for successful small business, but outside that district the area was still down. Tonight was a big night, so Clark and Diana had to park somewhat far from the stadium. He pulled onto a street with what looked like abandoned houses on each side, but the edges of the street had cutouts specifically for parking. They'd have to walk about eight blocks to join the crowd outside the field.

"Why didn't you park closer? There's a parking structure over there?" She asked as they exited the car and began the trek.

"Because I'm not paying $30 to park."

"This doesn't look like the safest neighborhood."

"We'll be fine."

"I know _we'll_ be fine, but what about your car?"

"Nobody breaks in unless there's something valuable inside, thieves usually target SUV's anyway. It'll be fine."

"So who is playing?"

"The Metropolis Titans vs. the Gotham City Flyers. But first pitch isn't for another hour and a half, so we're going to live it up out here for a while."

"Ok."

Clark and Diana walked around for a little while, the bars and restaurants were mostly full, many were trying to get their fill of food and alcohol before going into the stadium. Most everyone seemed in good spirits, there were lots of people talking and laughing in groups, there were people on the street buying and selling tee shirts and scalping tickets to tonights game. There was even a man playing Stevie Wonder's 'My Cherie Amore' on his saxophone, several people dropped money into the open case next to him. Diana could feel the atmosphere, there was something coming, everyone was anticipating it. They walked around hand in hand, mostly in silence until Clark spotted a hot dog stand.

"You want a hot dog?" He asked.

"I guess so."

Clark and Diana made the short walk to the hot dog stand.

"What will you have, what will you have?" A woman working at the hot dog stand asked as Clark and Diana got up to the front.

"Can I get two burnt dogs and two regular?"

"Two burnt, two regular." She said to the man working the grill, before turning back to clark. "That'll be $6."

"They're good right? He asked, handing her the cash, plus a few extra dollars as a tip.

"You know they're good, We're from the countryside we know how to cook."

"Is that right? Which countryside are you from?"

"Florida."

"Alright, I'm from Kansas."

"So you know what I'm talking about."

"That's right."

Diana stood silently, as Clark carried on a silly and mostly superficial conversation with this woman, until the food was ready.

"This is good, lot of carts like this just give you a boiled hot dog and send you on your way, but they had onions and relish, and they put the crisp on it."

"Why did you ask for a burned hot dog?"

"It's better like that, just a little bit of crunch, it's perfection." He said with his mouth full. Clark suddenly turned, and stared at a statue in the center an open park. "They rebuilt this. I didn't realize that."

"What?"

"This statue, Superman broke it in a fight with Atomic Skull, I had no clue that they rebuilt it, last I heard they didn't have the money. Hmm, who knew?"

"What happened?"

Clark waited for several people to move further away from them before continuing. "He threw me into it, then picked up the statue and hit me with it until it broke apart."

"How did you beat him?"

"Same as always."

"Punching match?"

"Yep."

Diana couldn't help but laugh. "You know one day you might not be able to do that. You're going to have to use technique to win a fight."

"That's what I got you for." Clark said with a smile.

* * *

They got to their seats a few minutes before the game was scheduled to start, the starting pitcher was on the mound getting in his final warmup pitches. They were seated in the lower outfield box in foul territory down the first baseline, about 7 rows back from the field. Many fans wouldn't be in their seats for at least another inning, but Clark and Diana's section was already somewhat full. Diana looked around, there were men and women of all ages, sitting near them. There was a young family behind them, with a boy and a girl, the boy who was maybe about 10 years old was very excited, and patting his baseball glove like he was ready to make a catch, the girl had on Wonder Woman bracelets, which made Diana proud. In front of them was a group of middle age men, wearing jerseys like Clark's. To her left was a group of high school or college age boys, and sitting next to Clark was an older couple, who looked to be in their 70's.

"Clark, could one of the players hit a ball to where we're sitting?" She asked, worrying slightly for the people seated next to him.

"Oh yeah, especially left handed hitters, they can hit rockets over here. It's why so many people are wearing gloves."

Diana looked around, and sure enough many people, mostly the young kids were wearing baseball gloves just like the players on the field. "Are you allowed to keep them?"

"Of course. Why do you think people buy these seats?"

Diana silently conceded the point, then asked. "Is this a big game? People seem excited."

"This is a huge game, this is the first of a three game series, that will determine first place in the division. On top of that Jason Voelaker, Metropolis' best pitcher is facing off against Jack Poovey, the best pitcher for Gotham. This has the makings of an epic game."

"I see." Diana said. "Do you come to games often?"

"Once or twice a year I try to make it out. With hectic schedules sometimes its tough, but I don't have to tell you that."

"No you don't." Diana stated, knowing he was talking about the Justice League.

The first half inning went by without incident, three consecutive strikeouts. Diana only had a basic understanding of the rules, but she knew this was good for Metropolis. So far the crowd had been rather lulled, there was no explosion of cheers or jeers as Diana expected. However that could change very soon, the stadium was beginning to fill up.

"**Leading off for the Titans, the center fielder #21 Frederic Prince!"** The PA announcer said. Now the crowd began to get loud, rooting for their player.

"Prince! That's the jersey I'm wearing." Diana shouted.

"Thats right... Captain obvious." Clark joked with a smile. "I bought you that jersey for good reason."

"Shut up. What does your jersey say?" Diana turned him around to look at his back, and saw it had no name, only a number 19.

"This is the throwback jersey of Melvin Clark, he played back in the 60's. There's a statue of him out in front of the fountains in center field." He pointed to where the statues were, without taking his eyes off the field. "Base knock!"

Diana looked down to see the Gotham outfielder closest to them fielding the ball that was now rolling on the grass in front of him, while the Metropolis player was crossing first base. "What happened?"

"You didn't see it? Prince got a base hit, a ground ball between the first and second basemen. You were looking for the statue?"

"Yes."

"Well, one of the good things about baseball is that there are lots of stops and starts, you have plenty of time to look around between pitches and innings."

The second batter was now at the plate, the second pitch he saw was hit high up in the air. Diana watched the ball in the air, but she had a hard time determining its trajectory, it looked like it was going to drop right in front of her! She fidgeted in her seat, preparing herself to try to catch it. Then she suddenly realized it was clear on the other side of the field, landing on top of the dugout on the third base line. What was that all about?

"I could have sworn that ball was going to land right here!" She told Clark, who hadn't made any move toward the ball at all.

"It's like that sometimes at field level, it's hard to track the ball at first, it kind of tricks your eyes. It might take you an inning or two to be able to track it. But wait until they turn the lights on, then it'll be really hard to follow."

"WILSON!" Someone shouted from several rows behind them, both Clark and Diana turned to see who it was, then ignored him. It was just a fan heckling Gotham's right fielder Wilson Calle.

The next pitch was a line drive caught by the first basemen, the baserunner Prince had to dive back in order to be called safe. One out.

"**Batting third for the Titans the first baseman #24 Montero Callero!" **Latin hip hop music blared on the loudspeakers underneath the PA announcer's voice. The crowd immediately perked up.

"This guy, Callero, the best right handed hitter in the league bar none. Matter fact, he's about to hit one out right now." Clark said to Diana.

"You callin the shot? I'll take that!" Said a man sitting in front of Clark. "That sounds real good to me!"

"Clark, how do you know he's going to hit a homerun?" Diana asked.

"He's got that look, I can just feel it, he's about to go deep."

"If you say so." Diana was skeptical, extra sensory perception was never one of his powers, she seriously doubted baseball could bring that out of him. This may be her first baseball game, but she couldn't imagine him being able to tell what's going to happen just by looking at someone.

The first pitch was a curveball in the dirt. Ball one. The second pitch was a fastball outside, the umpire called it a strike but the crowd booed their disappointment. The third pitch however, was swung on and belted, deep to left field, that ball was gone! As soon as the ball hit the bat, the whole crowd knew it was a homerun, and they exploded with cheers. Hi fives were shared all around. Metropolis had just taken a 2-0 lead.

"You called it my man, you called it!" The man in front of Clark turned around and gave him a hi five. "That's what I'm talking about!"

"What?" Diana was astonished. "How did you do that?"

Clark turned to her with that smug smile he got sometimes. "Magic."

"WILSON!" The man behind them shouted again.

"Really? So what's going to happen next?" Diana knew magic wasn't how he knew that, he couldn't do it again.

"I don't know, it was just a lucky guess."

The next few innings were mostly uneventful, Metropolis scattered a few more hits, but couldn't push across any more runs. However whenever Metropolis was on defense the crowd got on edge, they got more and more excited with every out recorded. By now, Diana was familiar with the rules but had the feeling there was some nuance that she was missing. Whenever Metropolis was at bat, the crowd seemed only somewhat interested, except for the guy behind them who kept screaming.

"WILSON!"

"Why is he still screaming like that? He's been doing it for 6 innings!" Diana finally asked Clark.

"Wilson Calle, he's just getting heckled." Clark said pointing to the right fielder. "It's pretty common practice, the guy hasn't said anything bad, he just wants him to mess up. What's funny about it is that Wilson keeps looking over here." Sure enough, Wilson again looked over in the direction of the screaming man, usually opposing players ignore the crowd completely.

"Is there a reason he's singling out that player?" Diana asked.

"Oh yeah, Wilson pretty much single handedly knocked us out of the playoffs last season, so the dude behind us harboring some anger."

"I understand that the game is coming to an end, but why is everyone so excited for an out?"

"I can't tell you what's going on, but Voelaker is having a great game."

"What's so special about this game?"

"We're not supposed to talk about it, you're a smart girl you'll figure it out eventually. And when you do, whatever you do, do not say anything!"

When the top of the 9th inning came around, the entire crowd was on their feet, living and dying with every pitch. Diana was too, though she still couldn't figure out why. Neither Clark nor anyone else would tell her what was happening, it was like he turned them against her somehow. Back on the field, the Gotham player hit a soft ground ball to the shortstop who gunned his man down at first base. One out.

"Clark are you alright? You seem really tense. Please tell me what's happening." Diana asked concerned.

"Everybody is tense Diana. You're probably the calmest person in here. If I were you I'd be happy about it."

Diana didn't feel very happy. She didn't like being kept out of the loop. It felt like a big joke that everybody was in on against her. Swinging strikeout, the crowd went nuts. Two outs.

"I'll tell you in two minutes, I promise. No matter what happens." Clark pulled her close and kissed her forehead, and turned back to the action. He then wordlessly grabbed her hand and held it in a iron grip.

The batter worked the at bat to a full count. 3 balls and 2 strikes, then fouled off three consecutive pitches. The windup, the pitch... swing and a miss strike three!

"He got it! He got it! Oh yeah!" Clark shouted, jumping up and down, still gripping Diana's hand. "He just threw a perfect game!" He then pulled Diana into a bear hug and squeezed seemingly with all his strength.

Diana was certainly thankful to the gods for her strength just then, because he wasn't holding back at all. It wasn't painful, but he was beginning to cut off her breathing a bit. She had to tap him on the shoulder several times to get him to let up.

"Sorry. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Diana assured him. "So is this what you couldn't tell me? A perfect game? I don't understand."

"Yeah, it's superstition to not talk about it while it's happening. It's why nobody would tell you. They didn't want to be the one to jinx it."

The crowd stayed to watch the on field celebrations in which the team mobbed the pitcher, before allowing him to tip his hat to the crowd, then many fans began filing out.

"**Ladies and gentlemen please remain in your seats, in just a few minutes time the lights will go out and we will begin our Friday Night Fireworks Special!" **Said the PA announcer.

"Fireworks?" Diana asked excitedly.

"Yeah, they do it for Friday night home games. I figured if you didn't like coming to the game, at least you'd enjoy the show."

Diana just smiled at him, he hoped she had been at least somewhat entertained by the game. He had to admit with the perfect game, he didn't do nearly as much conversing with her as he'd expected when he bought the tickets. If she wasn't amused by the ballgame, hopefully the fireworks would save him.

The lights went down and the show began, Diana didn't look at him, she just marveled at the colors. He could barely look at the fireworks, he marveled at her. "This is beautiful. I've never seen fireworks so close before!"

"This has always been a pretty good show. This isn't your party store fireworks set, this is legit."

Most of the people around them had left, and with the sounds of the fireworks being held in by the stadium, no one would be able to hear them talk. "I wonder what they look like from above." Diana said.

"Pretty awesome. I flew over these once, the crowd went wild." Clark smiled.

Diana just rested her head on his shoulder for the rest of the show. Content being next to him.

* * *

"I hope you had a good time." Clark said as he prepared to merge onto the freeway.

"I did. In spite of everything I enjoyed myself."

"Well good, because perfect games don't happen very often. There have been less than 30 total in major league history. This was a spectacular event."

"I see. Maybe next time we go, I'll be more into the game."

"Maybe." Clark smiled, she would go back again.

"I was more surprised by the atmosphere. The feeling of community, it's the first time I've felt that since I've been here when there wasn't some sort of disaster."

"What do you mean?" Clark asked.

"Every time something bad happens, there is always an out pour of love and support, but those bad days are few and far between. On most days many people are bitter and angry towards each other. This was different. For three hours we were best friends with perfect strangers."

"Yeah, that is kind of cool. Sports has a way of doing that."

"It was almost like being home."

"Really?"

"Yes. On Themyscira we're all sisters, we're family, we're a community. More than just a neighbor who helps you clean up your yard after a storm. We support each other every day. In good times and bad. I had that feeling today, that just for a little while, everyone was like that."

"Awesome. I gotta be honest with you, I talked these 'special plans' up to you for the last couple of days, having no idea how you'd react. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." Clark said with a smile. "So it's still pretty early, the no hitter shaved about an hour off the game time. You want to do something else? You talked about dancing before, you want to do that?"

"No. We should do something alone, just the two of us."

"That sounds good. What do you want to do?"

"Something relaxing. The baseball game was fun, but it was a little stressful." She said.

"Yeah that's true. So, first let's get some food, and then we'll see where the wind takes us."

"Ok."

Clark and Diana gathered a nice spread of different foods from several places across the country. After a quick stop in Keystone City to borrow from Wally's extensive movie collection, they spent the night in Clark's apartment eating and watching movies. They spent nearly the entire night together in laughter. Apparently Diana had an affinity for romantic comedies. Clark hadn't expected her to get most of the jokes, but she did. She was definitely learning. She eventually fell asleep on his sofa, he spent several minutes just watching her. He didn't think he'd ever get over how beautiful Diana was. Not just her physical beauty, but her loving heart and strength of spirit.

He could have watched her all night, but he decided she would be more comfortable in her own bed. So he pulled her sleeping body into his arms and flew her across the night sky to her own apartment. She didn't even stir when he removed her shoes and placed her gently into her bed and covered her up. She must have been tired out from all the work she'd been doing. Before he left, he placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight Diana." He whispered.


	16. Chapter 16

Diana awoke refreshed, her hectic schedule didn't always allow her much sleep. She didn't need nearly as much as a normal human did, but just as anyone, her body would tire out eventually. Getting her bearings, she realized she was in a bed, she was in her bed, in her apartment. The last thing she remembered was being with Clark, watching movies. She must have fallen asleep and he brought her here. How else could she have gotten in her own bed?

Diana got out of bed and looked around the apartment, maybe he was still here. Unfortunately she was alone, and immediately realized she missed him. They'd been away for a week, then spent most of the night together, but they hadn't been the focus of each other's attention. The baseball game and the movies were passive activities. While it was nice to share that time together, she wanted to be active. Moving towards the bathroom to take a shower, Diana tried to think. There had to be something they could do, dancing was an option, but she didn't exactly want to do that right now. Stepping into her tiny shower and relishing in the feel of the hot water Diana let her mind drift. Something about the water always calmed her, and almost immediately Diana thought of something fantastic for her and Clark to do.

* * *

Clark had been sleeping soundly since he took Diana home. Good, quality restful sleep, but now someone was yelling at him to get up.

"Wake up! Clark! Wake up!" Diana shouted, standing next to his bed. "How could you still be sleeping?"

"Oh it's you." Clark said groggily, finally opening his eyes. "What do you want?"

"I've been screaming at you for 10 minutes. You sleep like a rock!"

"Okay?" Clark still hadn't moved.

"I've got something for us to do. So get up. Come fly with me."

"Okay fine." Clark began to move, but instead of getting out of the bed, he just rolled over onto his stomach, further away from her.

"I said get up!" Diana grabbed his wrist and began pulling him out of the bed. Clark didn't appreciate being pulled around like that, so he yanked his hand back, trying to wrestle out of her grip. But Diana didn't let go, instead she was pulled roughly into the bed with him.

What started as Diana trying to get him out of bed, became a wrestling match. Clark had a clear advantage, he was stronger. She tried to get away, to create some distance, in order to use her superior fighting skill against him, but he didn't allow it. He kept her close, and kept her pinned. Her best bet was to try and fly them off of the bed, which didn't work either. He was able to maneuver her to the ground, hold her on her back, and keep her arms above her head. His body was draped across hers, pinning her to the ground, she couldn't get up, with Clark laying on top of her nose to nose. He had his smug smile on his face, Diana wanted more than ever to punch it off of him.

"You know one day, you're going to have to use force to win a fight. Technique isn't always going to help you." Clark said, bringing back her words from last night.

"That's what you're there for." She responded, bringing back his words.

Clark laughed, then he stole a kiss from her. Which made her really angry, she bucked and struggled, but couldn't get him off.

"So let me get this straight." Clark began. "You come in here, wake me up and try to pull me out of my own bed, and expect me to just go along with it?"

Instead of responding Diana just struggled more, the grin on Clark's face was bringing out her anger. "I may have won this battle, but I lost the war, because I'm awake now. So I'll let you go, and I'll fly with you. But. You must control your temper!"

"Fine." Diana stopped struggling and went slack. Clark finally let go of her wrists and stood up slowly. Diana got to her feet, and walked to the balcony with a sour look on her face.

"Ίσως η μητέρα μου είχε δίκιο για σένα. Kryptonian!" She muttered angrily.

Clark laughed, and followed her into the sky. She was flying west, across the country, moving rather quickly. It was nothing to keep up with her, staying about 50 feet behind, until she slowed and descended towards a small island in the middle of the ocean.

It was a beautiful little place, less than a mile across, had probably not even been touched by humans before. He followed Diana, who was strolling across the beach near the edge of the water, letting the tide wash across her feet. Clark removed his socks and began walking by her side.

"Beautiful place." Clark said.

"Yes. It was one of the first places I saw when I left Themyscira for the first time. I love it here."

"Are you still mad at me?"

Diana turned her head towards him and narrowed her eyes. Then in the blink of an eye spun around and punched him in the chest with both hands, sending him to the ground. "No. Not anymore." She smiled as she watched him get up rubbing his chest. "I forgive you."

"Good."

"Swim with me." She said, and grabbed the hem of her dress and lifted it over her head. Revealing a bright red two piece bathing suit. She tossed the dress aside and jumped high in the air, and then dove into the ocean. Clark took off his shirt and dove in after her.

30 minutes later, the swimming was forgotten. Instead they laid together on the beach hugging and kissing. Completely oblivious to the rest of the world.

* * *

Donna touched ground in the middle of an open field with Hippolyta in her arms. Looking around, there was nothing much to see, just an open field with a line of trees about 300 yards in the distance.

"This is the man's world?" Donna asked. "Where are we?"

"I cannot be sure." Hippolyta answered. "Take us past those trees. Perhaps we can find a city. And fly carefully, we do not want to be seen."

"Yes mother." Donna said, as she scooped Hippolyta into her arms and did as she was told.

They had no way of knowing it, but Hippolyta and Donna had landed in small town in Virginia. After passing over the trees they walked the rest of the way into town. Donna couldn't help but smile the entire time.

"It's just like Diana described. Tall buildings, machines that carry them from place to place. This is incredible!"

"Calm yourself Donna. We do not want to draw attention to ourselves. We only need to figure out where we are. Kara says that Clark lives in a city called Metropolis, and was raised in a place city called Smallville. These are the places we must visit."

"Yes mother. How do you think we should go about doing that?"

"We must acquire a map of some sort."

They headed down the street towards a more populated area. There were ground level retail outlets and a few outdoor cafes along the street. They were passed by several people walking in the opposite direction, and several of them were men. Hippolyta had to keep from cringing when one of them looked at her and smiled. Donna smiled back, but didn't say anything, she wouldn't know what to say, and doubted that her mother would either. Luckily for both of them, the man simply kept walking. His smile was just a friendly gesture of hello.

"The men here don't seem so bad." Donna whispered.

"What a man seems like is often quite different from the reality. Remember that Donna."

Hippolyta stopped as they came upon what looked like a women's clothing store, she was about to enter until Donna stopped her.

"Mother. Look."

Donna pointed across the street, where a man wearing army fatigues walked towards an outdoor cafe. When he got there two young girls, who looked to be sisters ages 5 and 10 ran excitedly towards the man and jumped into his arms. Looking closer, Hippolyta saw that the girls looked like the man. He must have been their father. They both hugged him happily, and he hugged back. The other patrons of the cafe began clapping at the scene, before a woman came behind the girls and embraced the man herself, holding him and the girls close.

For Hippolyta, it was a surreal moment, she could hardly believe her eyes. The woman and the young girls looked so happy to see the man, and he was happy to see them. It appeared that all four of them were in tears, tears of joy. How could they be so happy to see him? It was such a foreign thought, she had no idea how to process it. She was left wondering what kind of control did he have over them to garner that reaction.

* * *

Clark had been in the shower for the last 30 minutes. He had nothing else to do, Diana went to the foundation to settle some business and didn't know when she'd be able to return. He planned to stay there for another 30 minutes until he heard someone walking around in the apartment. Without bothering to look, he assumed it was Diana, he quickly shut off the water, threw on a towel and went out to meet her.

"Back again so soon?" He said walking into the living room.

"Oh my god Clark! Why are you naked every time I'm here?"

It was Lois.

"What are you even doing here?" Clark looked down at himself, dripping wet and wearing only a towel. "Hold on a minute, let me put on some pants."

"Please."

Clark came back several minutes later, wearing sweatpants and a tee shirt. "How did you get in here?"

"You weren't opening the door, so I picked the lock."

"Naturally breaking and entering was the thing to do."

"I needed to talk to someone. Specifically a guy, and you're the only choice I have."

"Ok? But listen before you go on, don't come into my house uninvited, ever again."

"Okay fine, sorry." Lois said, slightly taken aback at how serious Clark looked. "Anyway Clark, is there something wrong with me?"

"Wrong with you?"

"Yeah, why is it I can't meet a guy worth anything? I mean I'm young, I'm single, I'm attractive. I'm attractive right?"

"What?"

"You're an attractive man, I just want to know if you find me attractive?"

"Of course I do." Clark said matter of factly. At one point in time she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid his eyes on. "Wait a minute. You insult me every other conversation we have. Now I'm an attractive man?"

"You always were attractive. Wearing that towel just a minute ago, my heart skipped a beat. I'm sure you get your girlfriend revved up. But we were talking about me! Why is it I can't meet a decent guy?"

"Are you looking for a decent guy?"

"What does that mean? Of course I am!"

"A lot of women say that, but aren't really serious about it. I'm wondering if there is something specific? Is there a reason you're bringing this up."

Lois sighed, this was an embarrassing story. "A couple of weeks ago, I went out with this guy, who halfway through the date got up and walked off. Saying something about 'you don't need a man.' What does that even mean?"

"Lois, that's kind of true, you're the type of woman who is her own man."

Lois looked nonplussed, "My own man?"

"Yeah, you don't need a man to take care of you. Anything you want, you can get on your own. You are the definition of the phrase 'independent woman'. And the problem with that is every guy you meet has to meet standards that are so high that it's not even worth trying."

"My standards aren't that high."

"Really? If I were single, would you date me?"

Lois couldn't respond. She wanted to say yes, but was sure he'd know that she was lying. "Yes? Okay maybe not, but you're... you."

"Be honest with yourself Lois. Your standards are so high, they're not human. Maybe even... Kryptonian?"

"That's not true, and it's not like Superman is going to drop by my place anytime soon anyway. So what does it matter?" She pouted. "So let's say I wanted to lower my standards for a regular guy. Do you have any friends? You know, single friends, like you, but less farmy?"

"Less farmy? Lois I don't even know what that means."

"I'm tired of being alone Clark. I'll be 30 years old in a few months, I don't want to die an old maid."

Clark waited for a minute before responding, this apparently had been lingering with Lois for some time now, and she was having a tough time with it.

"Friendship and trust. The strongest relationships I've had are based on those two things. Even then it doesn't always work out. These things take work, and if somebody isn't worth working for, there's no point." Friendship and trust are the reasons he never pursued a relationship with Lois in the first place. They would have had none of that.

"Is Diana worth working for?" She asked.

"Yes."

Lois smiled wryly, Clark was always good for advice like this. She certainly trusted him, she briefly wondered if it had been a mistake to put him in the 'friend-zone'. Maybe she could deal with the Kansas farm boy, not that it mattered, he was with Diana now.

* * *

After Lois left, Clark flew around for a while. He didn't stop to help anyone, he didn't need to, just flying around seemed to be a deterrent to people who want to cause mayhem. He was now laying in bed, looking through the ceiling at the stars. He didn't know how long he stared before he fell asleep.

Clark awoke to a ringing phone, it was 1:54 AM, he couldn't have been asleep for very long. Looking at the caller ID it was Diana.

"Hello." He said warmly.

"Hello Clark?" Said an unfamiliar voice on the other line.

"Who is this?" He sat up in bed concerned.

"Listen, everything is alright, Diana is fine. It's all clear."

"Ok, but who is this?"

"I'm Shannon, Diana's friend. Um... something happened. Do you think you could get to her apartment?"

"Yeah?"

"Ok, good. I'll see you soon." Then she hung up. Leaving Clark thoroughly confused. What happened and why didn't she say what happened? And why wasn't Diana calling? Clark quickly threw on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, then grabbed his glasses and car keys to head down to Diana's.

It only took a few minutes to drive to Diana's apartment. There was a small crowd outside of the building. He saw two police cars and a man being loaded into an ambulance. There were two officers in front of the building, one was inside a patrol car, and the other was standing just outside the door.

"The dude was out cold when I got up there." Said the officer in the car, as he searched something on his computer.

"And she said she punched him?"

"Did you see the woman? She's about my height, with man size hands. I believe her."

"Excuse me sir, do you live in this building? I'll need to verify your ID before I can let you in." The standing officer said to Clark as he approached the building.

"He's okay officer. I've seen him around a few times, he's that girls boyfriend." Said a woman who was standing near the scene. Clark had seen her before, she and Diana lived on the same floor.

The officer allowed him upstairs to Diana's apartment. When he got there, the landlord was kneeling at the open door working on the lock, while Diana was sitting on the sofa wrapped up in blanket next to another woman, who he assumed to be Shannon.

"Oh hey man, good to see you. I'm glad you're here." Said Marston, the landlord. Who didn't look particularly happy, to be replacing the lock.

"What happened?" Clark asked, noticing Diana had a bag of ice sitting on her right hand. He suspected she didn't need it, and only had it for appearances sake.

"Oh my goodness, Clark, I'm glad you're here." Said the woman next to Diana. She was a bit frantic and broken up.

"Shannon?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Diana what happened?" Clark asked again.

"Some maniac broke in here with a knife, and tried to hurt Diana." Shannon spoke up before Diana had a chance.

Diana looked rather calm about the situation, but Shannon didn't. Clark suddenly realized that for appearances sake he needed to act like the concerned boyfriend. So for the next few minutes Clark laid it on thick, sitting close and hugging her. Reassuring she was safe. Diana quickly guessed what he was doing and played along. Until the patrol officer who had been sitting in the car, returned to the apartment.

"Ma'am, we're going to take the guy to the hospital and get him checked out for a concussion. After that he's gonna be locked up, he's got a couple of priors, and had a warrant out for his arrest. We've got him now, I thank you for having the courage to stand up for yourself. I see that you've got friends here that'll take care of you tonight, so I'm gonna take off. You all take care, and be safe."

"Thank you officer." Diana said, as he left, stepping around Marston as he finished with the doorknob.

"So Diana, here's your new key." Marston said. "Are you two going to stay here tonight?"

"Yes" Shannon answered quickly.

"Sure." Clark answered after getting a subtle nod from Diana.

"Also take these, they may come in handy." Marston reached into his pocket and gave each of them a business card. "Call me if you need anything else."

The three of them each stared at the business card. Shannon was the first to speak.

"Defensive handgun training?" She asked.

"He mentioned it to me when I first moved in. It's not for me." Diana told her. Maybe if she didn't have her powers, she might carry one, but that didn't matter.

"Don't be a victim." Shannon said, reading from the card. "It's scary out there. Clark what do you think?"

"Like Diana said, it's not for me. My parents carry guns, not really for protection though. There are wild hogs that ruin the farmland where they live. Sometimes you've got to get rid of them."

"Do they eat the hogs?" Diana asked.

"Some people do, they're a little gamey for me."

"Hmm." Diana was interested. On Themyscira, wild boar made for a tasty meal, she wondered if the hogs here would be the same. She made a mental note to ask him about it later.

"So uh... What exactly happened here tonight?" Clark asked.

"Shannon and I were speaking on the phone. When I heard something in the other room, I got up to see what it was and a man came into my bedroom with a kitchen knife. He lunged at me, but I dodged him and punched him in the jaw. He went down immediately." Diana explained.

"I called the police, and I rushed over here right away." added Shannon.

"Oh wow." Clark was glad that Diana didn't knock the guy's head clean off his shoulders, there was little doubt what he wanted to do by entering her bedroom. Clark figured Diana would be furious. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Me too. I was so scared." Shannon said, who was now shivering, and hugging herself. "Diana do you have another blanket?" She was unable to stay warm, it was probably her nerves.

"Yes, in the closet outside my bedroom."

Shannon got up to get a blanket for herself. Giving Clark and Diana a few seconds to talk alone.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes I'm fine, he couldn't have done anything to me."

"Your friend is pretty shaken up."

"Yes, she's traumatized. Letting her stay here tonight is more for her sake than my own. Will you stay? I think it would make her feel safer."

"So this is what we've been reduced to. Protecting a woman just by sitting around. Some superheroes we are."

Diana couldn't help but laugh.

Shannon returned, surprised that the couple was now laughing. "Wow Diana, I'm glad to see you're in a better mood now. I'm definitely glad Clark is here."

Clark finally took notice of Shannon's build, she could easily pass as an Amazon. Except for the fact that she was so scared she couldn't keep herself warm, no Amazon would ever admit to that. Clark also took notice of her eyes, they were each a different color.

"Heterochromia iridum" Clark announced.

"What?" Shannon looked surprised.

"Your eyes are different colors. Those aren't contacts are they?"

"No, but most people think they are. How did you know about that?"

"I'm a reporter, I've researched all sorts of interesting things."

"Where do you work?"

"The Daily Planet."

"Clark... Clark Kent!" Shannon gasped excitedly. "You've met Wonder Woman and Superman!"

"Yes I have."

Diana quickly turned away from Shannon towards Clark. She was bringing them both up, while they were sitting in the room, Diana was a bit nervous. However Clark didn't bat an eye.

"Wonder Woman is so awesome, and Superman, oh my goodness! Do you know if he's single?"

"I've never actually talked to Superman, I've just seen him." In the mirror. "Lois Lane handles all the Superman stories. I cover Wonder Woman."

"Diana how do you feel about that? Your boyfriend spending quality time with the hottest girl on the planet?"

"I'm as beautiful as she is, right Clark?" Diana said with a sly smile.

Clark briefly wondered if she was trying to set him up. If she was, he wouldn't take the bait. "Every bit as beautiful, maybe even more. The only woman that matters is the one sitting right here." He took Diana's hand and held it, while staring into her eyes.

Shannon smiled wildly at them. "You two look so cute together. Clark you don't need Wonder Woman anyway, not when you've got Diana. As it is, she's probably dating Superman anyway, and if she isn't she should be. I know I would."

Clark and Diana shared a brief look that went unnoticed by Shannon. They both were amazed at the irony of this conversation. Shannon had it all figured out, but didn't know it. She didn't have the slightest idea, that while she was talking about the two superheroes, they were actually sitting in the same room as her.

After another hour or so of talking, and a trip by Clark to get some late night snacks, Shannon finally fell asleep. She had been on edge for much of the night, and talking helped calm her nerves very much. Clark followed Diana to her bedroom, leaving Shannon on the sofa by herself.

"Your friend is... something special." Clark observed.

"Yes. She sort of reminds me of Donna, I think that's why I took a liking to her so quickly. But there are some things that concern me."

"Like what?"

"Her obsession with her appearance. She eats sparingly in order to keep her figure, and underwent surgery to make her breasts larger. She said she wanted to look like Wonder Woman. That's not the way I wanted to inspire anyone."

"So that's what that was. I thought she sounded funny."

Diana stared at him awkwardly.

"Her implants, they sound different than... natural." Clark retreated when Diana just kept staring. "I can hear everything. There's nothing I can do about it. And no, I didn't look."

"Still I know she isn't the only one who's gone to such extreme measures because of me. I don't like that women do that to themselves, sometimes I think I'm doing more harm than good."

"You could blame the same type of stuff on me. Guys are taking all kinds of steroids and whatever to try to look like me, and ignoring the the toll all that unnatural stuff takes on their body. I learned a long time ago that you can't save everybody from everything. But stay on the path that you're on. You're making a difference."

"You know what I like about you? You're very good at picking me up when I doubt myself."

"I wouldn't be a good boyfriend if I didn't."

"No you wouldn't. Are you ready for bed?"

"Where am I going to sleep?"

"You can sleep here if you like." Diana said, indicating the bed, then spinning around, changing from sweatpants and a tee shirt into a blue silk camisole. "I've got toothbrushes here for you."

"You mean share the bed?" He asked, staring at her curvy rear as she walked nonchalantly into the bathroom.

"Yes."

"Okay." Clark said quietly to himself, while removing his shoes and pants, stripping down to a pair of basketball shorts and his undershirt, then following Diana.

In the bathroom she handed him a fresh toothbrush, the looked at him strangely.

"Were you wearing those shorts under your pants?"

Clark looked down at himself. "Yeah, you never know when a game of hoops is going to break out."

"What?"

"I stopped by my place and got them when I picked up the food."

"Oh."

Returning to Diana's bedroom Clark couldn't help but be nervous. He felt more awkward than he did the first time he and Lana slept together. He just stood at the foot of the bed and looked at it. Luckily, Diana was nervous too, her heart rate jumped up, and she stood next to him.

"Which side do you want?" She asked hesitantly.

"It's your bed. You choose."

"Ok." Diana climbed onto the left side of the bed, and Clark climbed into the right side. It was quiet, too quiet. Somebody had to break the tension.

"You know what's weird, Lois broke into my apartment earlier today."

"She did, why?" Diana was grateful for the conversation.

"She went on and on about not wanting to be alone. It was weird."

"I see." Diana hesitated before going on. "This isn't awkward is it? Us sleeping together?"

"No. At least it shouldn't be."

"Okay. We did spend our morning rolling around in the sand kissing each other. Just sleeping isn't a bad thing. Is it?"

"No."

They just laid there for the rest of the night. Eyes closed, not touching each other, minds in very different places.

Each was acutely aware that the other wasn't asleep. But neither was going to say anything about it.


	17. Chapter 17

Clark awoke with a heavy metal bracelet slamming across the bridge of his nose. It didn't hurt, but it was highly annoying. He was laying on his back neatly, barely moving from the spot he was in when he first climbed into the bed. Diana however was not, clearly she was not used to sharing a bed. She was laying on her stomach with her arms and legs sprawled across the bed. She tossed and turned throughout the night, kicking and elbowing him several times. He tried to say something, but she was out like a light. Now she had her hand on his face, and her foot hooked over one of his. It was an awkward situation, he was half expecting Diana to move closer to him at any moment throughout the night. But she didn't, not consciously anyway. Given the circumstances of him being there in the first place he certainly wasn't going to initiate anything. After a break in and likely attempted assault, Clark wasn't going to do anything that would make Diana uncomfortable. He decided immediately, that anything that happened would be totally her choice. Not to mention having Shannon in the next room would have made things even more weird. Based on the sun in the window, Clark figured that it was mid-afternoon they got to sleep rather late, and slept for quite a while. Deciding to get up, he gently picked her hand off of him and unhooked her foot from his. She didn't stir at all, and her breathing remained the same.

"And you say I sleep like a rock." He said softly.

Shannon woke up on the couch initially unsure where she was. It took a moment to get her bearings and realize she was still at Diana's. It had been a horrible night for her, hearing her friend get attacked over the phone was a terrifying experience. She couldn't imagine how it must have been for Diana. She briefly wondered what she was going to do with her morning, when Clark walked into the room.

"Morning Clark." Shannon greeted him.

"Morning. You feeling better?" He said as he made his way to the kitchen area, getting some orange juice from the refrigerator.

"I think so. It was a rough night, I can't imagine how Diana's feeling."

"Diana's tough, she'll be alright."

"I hope so. It's scary, that could have been anyone, that could have been me. I don't know if I could have fought him off like Diana did."

"I'd say you're probably more capable than you think. But Diana's been doing kickboxing and karate type stuff since she was a little girl. She's actually really good. I'm sure she'd teach you a few things."

"Really? That's good. I think I should be more aware of protecting myself. Or get a big strong man like you. Say, you don't have any brothers do you?"

"No, I'm an only child." Clark laughed.

"Aww, that's too bad."

"Well look who graces us with her presence. Good morning." Clark said as Diana walked into the room.

"Good morning." Diana said groggily.

Her hair was a disheveled mess. Clark loved that, it gave her a down to earth sexy look, and the fact that she didn't seem to care made it all the more appealing. He was finding that the less Diana did to her appearance, the more beautiful she was.

Shannon however had a completely different interpretation of Diana's messy hair. "Woah. Good morning Diana. Did you two have a nice night?" She looked back and forth between Clark and Diana. Clark looked calm as ever, but Diana looked as if she was going to panic.

Diana caught the looks Shannon was giving them, and realized what she was hinting at. She must have thought they were having sex. "No! I mean y-yes. I slept well. How about you Clark?"

"I'm good." He said casually.

"Well I'm going to go freshen up, and then head back home. I've been the third wheel long enough." Shannon got up and went into the bathroom.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Shannon was finally gone, leaving Clark and Diana alone. They sat silently on the bar stools in front of Diana's kitchen island. She was drinking a cup of coffee while he was having his fourth glass of orange juice.

"I guess we should finally have the talk shouldn't we." Diana finally said.

"I guess so."

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable last night. It wasn't what I was expecting, I've never shared a bed with a man before." Of course she hadn't, that was obvious. But Clark didn't say anything. "Last night, I didn't want to do anything, b-but that doesn't mean I won't want to, in the future." She continued.

"Last night was unexpected, and given what happened with the break-in, I understand. The time wasn't right at all."

"Right. Okay. Good." She said awkwardly.

She welcomed hugs and kisses from Clark, as she thoroughly enjoyed being close to him, but last night was bad timing. She only offered him the bed because there was nowhere else to sleep. She hadn't imagined how she would feel actually laying next to him. It brought things to the forefront that she'd been ignoring.

During the time they were getting to know each other, Diana became aware of the new feelings he stirred within her. When they started dating she thought about a little bit more, but even still, those thoughts were fleeting and quickly pushed away. Last night brought everything to the forefront, she allowed her mind to consider all the possibilities of being with him.

"Clark. When we first met, you told me you wanted to make love to me. Do you still want to?" She suspected that he did, but figured asking him directly was the best way to approach the matter.

"Only if you want to." Clark said softly, recalling the words he said when they first met.

"Okay" Diana smiled shyly. "Then we will, at some point. Only I don't know when that will be. I don't think I'm ready yet."

"I've been patient for a long time. What's a little while longer?"

"Thank you for understanding." She then set her cup down and started back towards her room. "Do you have any plans for today?"

"No." Clark was caught off guard by Diana's sudden change of subject, the second she said they would have sex, his mind went there. The part about not being ready was secondary. He was deep in fantasy, and barely lucid enough to respond to her.

"I was thinking we should go shopping. I should buy a television. What do you think?"

"Uh, sure. You want me to come with you?" He followed her into her room.

"Yes. I don't know anything about them, you can help me pick out a good one."

"Let's just do it online, they can probably deliver it by tomorrow. Last time we went shopping, I was miserable."

"You're coming. There might be some other things I want too."

"That sounds even worse. Can't Shannon do it?" Clark didn't like the turn in conversation, it went from sex to shopping. From good to very, very bad, the change was so sudden it caught him off guard.

"Clark, since I'm relegated playing the role of weak woman, I need you to do the heavy lifting. Now go home and take a shower, I'll meet you back here in a hour."

Clark grumbled as he put on his pants, and headed for the balcony. Since he was coming right back he figured he'd leave his car there for them to take later.

"One hour Clark, I mean it!" Diana demanded.

* * *

"Now this is a television!" Clark said as he marveled in front of the a 90 inch flat screen. It was the most expensive one in the store. It was showing football highlights from last season. Clark was glued to the screen, and was deep in thought, trying to work out where he could put it in his apartment.

"Is this the one I should get?" Diana asked, about the behemoth screen.

"This won't fit in my car, and if you get it, it's going in my house. You don't deserve such a pristine picture."

"I don't deserve it?" Diana knew full well he was joking, but still that was ridiculous. "Why don't you just buy it yourself?"

"Because I don't have 8 grand just sitting around, but I can dream can't I? In the grand scheme of things it's not that big of a deal though, I do have that sweet set up at my uh... place up north."

"That's true." Diana admitted. At the fortress he had a screen bigger than a movie theater's, that could show just about anything he wanted. There were also several similar screens on the Watchtower. "I'm going to look at something smaller."

"Oh man, this is beautiful." An older man said, coming up to stand next to Clark. The man who looked to be in his early to mid 50's was shopping with his wife, who was standing behind him. "This would be great for football season."

"Perfect for football season." Clark agreed.

"You already know we can't afford this." The man's wife said, "We need to live within our means."

"I know. But I can dream can't I?"

"I suppose." The wife said, moving down the wall of television screens, towards where Diana was.

Diana was looking at TV that was much more modest. 46 inches seemed plenty big enough to her. She was reading the specifications on one particular model, but didn't know what they meant. Clark was planted in front of the big screen, and wasn't there to explain, and there wasn't a salesperson to be seen anywhere.

"1080p, 600hz refresh rate, 46 inch LCD screen. This seems ok, but what does it mean?" She wasn't talking to anyone in particular, but knew full well Clark could hear her. He looked in her direction, and indicated he would join her eventually.

"Boys and their ballgames. They may never walk away from that big screen." The older woman said, walking up next to Diana.

"Yes. They seem quite enamored with it." Diana observed.

"For some reason they a new tv to let them see the logos on the players shoes as they run by. And use it as an excuse to ignore us." She said, almost sourly.

"Many see sports as therapeutic. It's an entertaining release from the stress of real life."

"Ha ha. How long have you been married?" The woman asked skeptically.

"Oh, we're not married. Just dating."

"Hmm, after 25 years with that man, watching the game is not therapy, it's his life."

Diana didn't like the woman's cynicism. To put her husband down like that to a complete stranger didn't seem right. Suddenly it dawned on Diana that there possibly was something else missing in her mission. Relationships. How could she bring gender equality to the world if personal relationships were still broken? If a man disrespects his wife, of course it would be easy to disrespect a co-worker, or random person on the street. Some relationships were strong, like Jonathan and Martha's and others were like this woman's, and appeared to need work. Diana certainly wasn't a relationship expert, as she'd only been with Clark for a little more than a month, but she decided to dish out a bit of advice.

"Have you ever tried watching with him? My boyfriend took me to a baseball game just the other day, it was fun. I didn't really understand the game, but I think he enjoyed having me there, and I would go again."

"Ah, to be young. Yours is still trying to impress you, mine hasn't even asked me if I wanted to go a game."

Clark heard the conversation Diana was having, and wasn't sure how it would end. The woman was slightly agitated, and he couldn't tell if Diana was doing more harm than good.

"You could try asking him about it. You may enjoy it. Perhaps you could try to impress him?" Diana suggested.

"Perhaps." The woman simply said, seeing a handsome young man headed towards them, she assumed this would be her boyfriend. She tactfully stepped away and eyed Clark, if only she were a few years younger.

"That was different." Clark observed. "Not sure you got through there."

"Well, I didn't know what else to say."

Their analysis of Diana's relationship advice would have to wait as a salesman finally approached them. "Is there anything I can help you two with?"

"Yes." Diana said. "This television appears to be on sale, is it a good one?"

"It's pretty good, 1080p, 600hz refresh rate, 46 inch LCD screen, you can't go wrong with that." He just spouted off what was written on the sales card, those numbers meant nothing to Diana. "And also with the current sale that we're having, if you buy any TV, we'll include a blu ray player at half price, and two free blu ray's from our bargain shelf."

Diana considered the offer. "Clark what do you think?"

"Seems like a good deal to me. This is a good size, it's big, but not ridiculous."

"Then I'll take it." Diana said.

While the young salesman traveled into the warehouse to get the TV, Clark and Diana picked their free movies. The bargain shelf was full of old movies that were never very popular in the first place, which was probably why they were on the ten dollar shelf. Diana picked two romantic comedies, just as Clark suspected she would. He also suspected they would have to watch both of them tonight.

Checking out went quickly, but loading the tv into the car was a hassle. It's store policy to have an employee load the car, and apparently half their workers called in sick that day, so the person loading it was a 90 pound teenage girl.

"Well this is ironic." Diana said to Clark as they watch the small girl, who refused their help, struggle to place the box into the car. With the back seat folded down there was just enough room to get it in, but for some reason the girl didn't want to lay it down.

"Just lay it down. Please. I know you're not supposed to do that, but I'll drive safe, it'll be fine."

The girl finally relented, and Clark placed the box into the car, and closed the trunk. He and Diana got in and drove away.

"Why would they have such a small girl loading a television?" Clark asked.

"Are you suggesting, a woman can't do that job?" Diana asked, half joking, but Clark didn't see the humor.

"No! But they literally picked the smallest person in the store to load a TV into a car. Who does that?"

"I don't know." Diana sat in silence for a few minutes while Clark maneuvered down the road. "Are you hungry?"

"I could eat."

"What do you say we get some food, set up the TV and watch the movies I bought?"

"Alright, let's get something delivered. I don't want to leave the car with this thing sitting in it." Clark said, indicating the TV.

"Ok. Let's get chinese from that place we had before."

"Shnazzy." Clark said.

* * *

Hippolyta and Donna had been in Metropolis for most of the day. They were now at the public library, after spending most of the early day exploring Metropolis square. The woman at the desk was most helpful in helping them find books about the city's history. Unfortunately all records of Superman were kept only in the computers, and since neither Hippolyta or Donna had any clue how to use one, they settled for books about other things.

As Hippolyta read, her mind wandered to what she saw today. Many of the men around Metropolis were very off putting. In Chase City, the small town in Virginia which they had landed, the people were laid back, the men smiled, said hello, but not much else. In the big city, several men were rude, shouting perverse things at she and Donna. Her first instinct was to run them through with a sword, but she didn't have one. She then wanted to order Donna to crush their spines, but knew that would call attention she didn't want. The hustle and bustle of the city was trying for her. Short of Diana, she held little regard for anyone who would choose to live there.

"Donna. What are you reading?" Hippolyta asked.

"Skyscrapers. By Jolette Guy. I think it's a children's book, but it's very interesting. It shows how they make such tall buildings." The buildings downtown fascinated her immensely, but she was finished with that one, so she picked up another from the stack that was in front of her. "What are you reading?" Donn asked.

"It is a record of this city's history. What is that one you have now?" Hippolyta asked, indicating the book Donna had just picked up. It was a small paperback book, with a man and a woman hugging on the cover.

"It's a romance novel, the woman suggested that someone my age might enjoy it."

"Do not read that trash!" Hippolyta snatched the book away from Donna. "Read more about the buildings. I won't allow you to fill your head with such things."

Donna was disappointed that her mother took the book, she thought it may give her an idea to what Diana was doing with Clark. She was having a difficult time with being in Man's World. She didn't understand anything, some of the men seemed just as awful as she'd been taught her entire life, but some didn't. More confusing was Diana, she was adamant about being with Clark, and Kara insisted he was a good man. Meeting him, he seemed okay, but her mother didn't think so. She found herself torn, she wanted to honor her mother's wishes, and rescue Diana from a fate of degradation and servitude, but had faith that Diana was smart enough to not be trapped. She wanted her sister to be happy, and would be inclined to welcome Clark if he indeed made Diana happy.

"Mother, what about all of those women we have seen? Many of them looked happy in the company of their men." Hippolyta didn't answer, and Donna couldn't read her face, it was between, angry and sad. "What about those children?"

"I do not know." Hippolyta simply said. Internally, she couldn't get the image of the soldier with his family out her mind of. It was so contrary to everything she ever experienced in her life. Those two girls were beyond happy to see their father, they loved him. A feeling she never felt for her own father, in fact when they were young she and her sister Antiope cowered at the sight of the man who claimed to be their father. To see anything different was unsettling. Only that wasn't the only indication that men could have changed. In Metropolis she saw lots of couples, of all ages, and all walks of life, with women who seemed happy. Perhaps some men were different.

At the end of the day, the only man that mattered was Clark Kent. What kind of man was he? He claimed to be good, Diana claimed he was good, as did Kara, but could he be? "Can you locate Diana?" Hippolyta asked.

"No mother. I feel her emotion, which makes me able to find her sometimes, but in such a large city, I'm not sure I'll be able to." Donna had a unique ability to find Diana in a crowd. She could sometimes feel her sister, if she was hurt, happy or sad, Donna knew it. However it didn't work the other way around, Diana couldn't feel Donna, which was a good thing for Hippolyta as she didn't want to be found just yet.

"We will leave this place soon, I want you to concentrate. Find where she is."

"But the periodical we saw, said that Wonder Woman works in a place called Washington. Why would she be here? I thought we were looking to find more about him anyway." They found an old Daily Planet article about Wonder Woman not long after arriving in city, incidentally neither of them noticed, that the article was written by Clark Kent.

"She is here as well, I just know it." Hippolyta stated.

"Very well mother."

* * *

After setting up the TV and eating dinner, Clark wanted to take a patrol around the world. Since Diana had nothing else to do, she decided to go with him. They were flying, at a leisurely pace, high in the sky, where no one could see them.

"So what was that earlier with that lady at the store?" Clark asked. "You're giving out advice now?"

"Well, I'm not really qualified to give relationship advice. But it made me think, that one of the things I should be doing is trying to improve relationships. So many women desire them, that to ignore it, is shortsighted, I didn't think of that until you came along. My focus will always be to empower women, but I'm realizing that while i do that, I can't ignore the men in the their lives."

"So you think you're going to branch out with this?"

"Maybe, I'll talk to Julia about bringing in a relationship expert or something."

"A relationship expert? Does such a thing exist?"

"You know what I'm talking about Clark. Someone who gives advice on how to better the relationships in one's life. We could even get a male and female point of view."

"Sounds alright to me. If you have an event, make sure you contact the Daily Planet, and I'll cover it." He said, with very little enthusiasm.

"You don't think it's a good idea do you?"

"What are you talking about? I said it sounded alright. Once you figure out details, I'm sure you'll make it work."

Suddenly Clark stopped and stared down, Diana stopped and looked herself, but couldn't see anything wrong. However by the serious look on his face she could tell he was about to fly down and assist in whatever was there.

"What are you seeing?" She asked.

"Traffic crash. Three cars, no ambulance yet."

"You go. Call me if you need my help." She said to him. "I'll wait here for you."

"Alright." Without another word he shot down towards the ground.

Diana knew that he would spend more time at the scene than was probably necessary, as he always did. In some ways she wanted to be by his side helping as a true girlfriend should, but she knew that would cause unwanted attention from the general public. If he asked for her help, she would go, but she knew that he wouldn't. Which gave her some time to fly back to Metropolis to handle something she had been thinking about for much of the day.

Superman stayed on the scene of the crash for nearly an hour, even longer than Diana expected him to. She flew down closer to get a better look at what happened, but made sure to stay out of sight. Watching him, she gained a whole new perspective on how he operated. Much of the world saw a calculating alien, who put on a straight face, and did whatever it took to help someone in need. Many people saw him as cold and emotionless, figuring him to be detached from humankind, but that couldn't be further from the truth. This event affected him, she could see it in his movements. Someone was being hauled away in cuffs, while others were being zipped into body bags. Someone died down there, and it hurt Clark in a way she'd never seen him hurt before.

After he was done, he took to the sky, flying right past her. She had to race to catch up to him, grabbing at him so he would slow down. Staring him directly in the eyes, he looked exhausted.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked.

They flew together back to her apartment, where he just about fell into a seated position at the foot of her bed. She joined him, sitting close and tenderly holding his hand.

"What happened?"

"Those kids parents are dead. All because of some fool driving drunk. How can people just have no regard for human life? I don't get it. Don't they understand that they're just killing themselves? They don't even need a supernova, they'll just cause their own genocide."

He was referencing the destruction of Krypton, he must really be upset. "Clark don't say that. One person doesn't represent all. You know that." She assured him.

"One person? This happens every day. Do we even make a difference here?"

"Yes we do. You more than any of us. You're the example, the light to show us the way. We've been at peace for quite a while now. You know we make a difference." She moved to rub his arm softly, she would have rubbed his back but his cape was in the way. "What about the children?"

"They're alive but pretty beat up. But a few broken bones seems like nothing knowing that your parents are gone."

Diana didn't really know what to say, she'd never seen him like this. He was always a rock. When everyone else was ready to throw in the towel, he kept going, and inspired everyone to go on as well. It occurred to her that he could always have been this way. In the middle of a battle, he couldn't be phased by collateral damage, until the job was done. Once it was, they would always go their separate ways, and when they regrouped, someone was able to have a few laughs about something. Maybe before he could laugh, he had to let out his frustrations some. This was still different though. Coming fresh off of an incident where he couldn't save anyone. She didn't know if she could say anything to make him feel better, but she did lean closer in an attempt to comfort him.

He turned to look into her eyes intensely. By now Diana knew what that look meant, he was going to kiss her. She welcomed his mouth against hers, and ran her hands from his arms to his chest to his neck, pulling him closer. She couldn't be sure if it was the pressure of him leaning on her, or if it was on her own volition, but she found herself laying on her back and inviting him to be on top of her.

While he laid on top of Diana kissing her passionately, he let his hands ran down her arms and sides to rest on her hips. He began moving his hands back up her body when his left hand suddenly got caught in her lasso, it's power quickly ran through him, telling him to pull away.

"I'm sorry. As much as I may want this, it's not right. You're not ready." He pulled away and stood up, still holding the lasso.

"Wait." Diana said, surprised. She didn't want him to stop yet. "Don't go."

She sat up and hopped off the bed to follow where he began towards the balcony door.

Taking the lasso back she said, "Stay with me tonight. I don't think you should be alone. You're upset, just relax."

Clark didn't have to be told twice, if she wanted him to stay, he was going to stay. Diana grabbed his hand, and pulled him away from the door towards her closet. She reached inside the closet and handed him a bag. He reached inside and pulled out a brand new pair of shorts.

"I got them when you were helping those people on the road." Diana said, answering his question of where the shorts came from before he could ask it. "Let's just sleep, we can talk more tomorrow. Besides, we need to improve upon last night."

Clark finally laughed. "Yes we do. You're a violent sleeper."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You kicked me so many times you practically beat me up last night. I think you've never had to share a bed before."

"Well, I haven't. But maybe if you hold me close I won't kick so much."

A few hours later Clark and Diana laid in bed sleeping. This time he was on his back with an arm wrapped around her, while she had her head laid against his shoulder, with her hands resting on his bare chest and a leg wrapped around his.

The couple rested peacefully, totally unaware of the furious Amazon Queen standing at the foot of the bed.


	18. Chapter 18

"Gods on Olympus what the hell am I looking at?" Hippolyta screamed at the top of her lungs.

Clark alerted immediately to the sound of the voice, it was not Diana's. He sat up and looked to his horror, at a livid Hippolyta and a jaw dropped Donna. He looked to Diana, who was just now beginning to wake up.

"Diana get up." Clark said quickly, shaking her awake.

Before he could say anything else, Hippolyta charged at him, blind with rage. Leaping on him, to kick and punch him with all the strength she could muster. Luckily for Clark, without the Gauntlet of Atlas, Hippolyta was only marginally stronger than a normal human woman.

"This is the day you die man!" Hippolyta yelled. Her blows didn't hurt him, and she knew it. It still didn't matter, she'd find a way.

The violent shaking of the bed woke Diana up completely, she was vaguely aware of Clark trying to get her up, but was more concerned with getting back to the dream she'd been having about him. But now she noticed there was someone else in the bed with them, screaming death threats at Clark. That could only be one person.

"Mother?" Diana shouted. "Stop!"

Donna stood frozen at the scene. Wide eyed, with no idea what to do.

"Diana, can I get a little help here?" Clark shouted. He could easily shove her off of him, but had the distinct feeling that would only make things worse for him.

"Mother stop!" Diana jumped up and yanked her mother off Clark and pushed her towards the wall. She overpowered her mother easily, as she'd been able to do so since she was a small girl. "You will not hurt him!"

"Diana what madness is this?"

"Madness? You're the one who's gone mad." Diana accused. "How dare you come into my bedroom!"

"How dare you allow a man in your bedroom. Have you lost your good sense?"

"I should go." Clark said, putting on his clothes at super speed.

"Yes Clark, you should go. Mother and I have a much to discuss. Go to your apartment, I'll meet you there later. Donna go with Clark."

"Donna you'll go nowhere." Hippolyta demanded.

"Donna go with Clark!" Diana repeated.

By now Clark was already outside on the balcony, he only waited to know if Donna was staying or going.

"I am Queen, Donna you'll do as I say."

"You're not Queen here! Donna go now!"

Donna preferred to not be in the middle of their power struggle. Assessing her options, her Mother would be angry for a while, then eventually forgive her. Diana on the other hand had battle in her eyes. She'd have to fight Diana for the right to stay here, a fight that she'd surely lose.

Turning to Clark, Donna said. "Where are we going?"

"You're not going to attack me are you?" He said, jumping into the air.

"Only if you give me reason." Donna said, following him high into the sky. "I trust the word of my sister that you won't harm me."

"Good. Follow me." He said, flying off.

Back in Diana's apartment tensions were high. Hippolyta and Diana were equally furious at each other. Now that Clark and Donna were gone Diana finally let go of her mother.

"Diana where is the wisdom of Athena? What was he doing in your bed?"

"We were only sleeping mother."

"Still, he was in your bed. You let him see you wearing that." Hippolyta pointed haphazardly at Diana's outfit.

Diana looked down at herself, she was wearing a purple and black silk nightgown, that stopped mid-thigh. "What does it matter? He is my boyfriend. I asked him to stay here."

"You asked him? Oh, goddess please tell me you have not consummated your relationship." Hippolyta sighed.

"No. We were only sleeping. We haven't had sex yet." Diana hated having this conversation, but knew she would have to say something eventually.

"Yet?"

"Yes. I've decided that when the time is right, he and I will lay together."

"Diana, spare yourself this grief, you do not know the evil that men can be. Come back to Themyscira at once!"

"I'm not going anywhere! Clark is not like him." Diana was speaking about Heracles, "He'd never do such a thing to me."

"Answer me this. What if he is not the man you think him to be?" Hippolyta asked.

Diana paused to think, although she knew there was a possibility that she and Clark wouldn't be together forever, she'd given it little thought. "I'd have nothing more than a broken heart. Many have suffered worse, and have lived through it."

"A broken heart? That is pain you don't want either."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take. I don't want to be lonely anymore."

"Anymore?"

"Themyscira is my home, and it always will be. But even surrounded by sisters who loved me, I still felt alone, there was always something missing. And I felt that void until I became close to Clark. It took me a long time to realize that. At first I hated him, I was repulsed that I wanted to be close to any man. But over time I learned there was nothing wrong about my feelings. In the beginning we were friends, and that served it's purpose for a while, but I found I wanted more. Because of Clark, I don't feel alone anymore. I'm happy when we're together, and I miss him when he is away."

"What is it about these men? What control do they have? What power does this Kryptonian have to blind you so?"

"Mother you speak as if he wants to control me, wants to chain me to his bed and use me as his toy, but that could not be further from the truth. He wants to love me, and I want to love him in return."

"He's said this? He's told you he loves you?"

"No. But..."

Diana hesitated and stepped back, exactly what Hippolyta wanted. She could see the slight look of doubt on her daughter's face.

"But nothing Diana." Hippolyta said. "No woman can believe any man who claims to love her, but your man has not even said that he does. How can you be sure he wants to be your love, he hasn't spoken the words because he truly wants to dominate you. This man is shrewd, surely he knows you are as well, he is taking advantage of your trusting nature. Open your eyes and see."

Her mother was right about one thing, Clark hadn't told her he loves her. But did that matter? She heard couples went much longer than she and Clark before anyone professed their love for each other. Everything else her mother said however was completely ignored. "I haven't told him I love him either. What does that mean?"

"That means you haven't lost all of your wit. Diana please, you must end this, don't allow yourself to be like some needy woman from this world, whose entire being revolves around her mate."

"What do you mean?" Diana asked. "Needy?"

"I have been here for two days, the things I have seen. They are frightening, living among them you've been desensitized to the horror, you must be reminded."

Hippolyta went on to tell the stories of what she saw, vile men on the street, the couples with what looked to be broken women, and most troubling of all, the soldier with his wife and daughters.

As Diana listened, she felt that her mother misinterpreted everything that she saw. Manipulating everything to fit her view of things. She was grasping at straws. The men in her mother's life brought her nothing but pain, she knew nothing of friendship, or love. The bits and pieces she had seen in the last few days were all at a distance, and wide open for interpretation. She needed to see a relationship personally. Diana was sure that Clark wouldn't get the benefit of the doubt, but maybe, just maybe his parents could. By meeting them, she could get an idea of how Clark was raised, and perhaps it would allow her to change her mind.

"I think you're wrong mother. Those women aren't under control, and they're not broken. You don't know them. Maybe you should get to know what a true family is before you judge them. If you stop hating Clark, maybe you could meet his family. You open your eyes."

* * *

At Clark's apartment, he and Donna just arrived. Instead of going straight there, they decided to pick up some food. Which in Metropolis at 3AM isn't all that good, so they flew out west to pick up some pizza.

"So what were you doing with my sister?" Donna finally said. She'd been working up the nerve to say something to him for a little while now. Staying awkwardly quiet while they were out.

"Sleeping. Getting some good, old fashioned REM."

"REM?"

"Forget it."

"So is this 'pizza' any good?"

"Oh yeah, and those are exactly the toppings Diana likes too. So you should be smooth. Why don't you give it a try?"

Donna picked up a slice and stared at it, hesitantly. While Clark to a huge bite from his own slice. "It's strange being here. It's so different from anything I've ever seen. And so unlike everything I've ever been taught. Especially you." She observed.

"Me? How so?"

Donna didn't answer, she bit into her pizza and flipped out after that. "Great Hera! This is fantastic! For the right trade price, you could sell hundreds of these!"

"Uh, yeah." More like millions, but he decided to let her have a moment.

"We haven't eaten since we came to Man's World, but the wait has definitely been worth it. You have a different flavor. May I try one of yours?"

"Go ahead." Clark, turned the box so Donna could take a slice of his.

She quickly stuffed her face, with the pepperoni and bacon topped pizza. Then leaped up in joy. "This might be even better! I could eat this all day!"

Clark was amazed at how excited Donna was over pizza, he couldn't remember getting this excited over anything in his life. In her happy bouncing, Donna inadvertently bumped the remote to his speaker system. Music filled the room.

The upbeat music caught Donna's attention immediately. "What is this?"

"Music, you bumped the control the music player. You are now listening to 'Ain't No Stoppin Us Now' by McFadden and Whitehead."

"This is wonderful!" Donna said, as she stood up and swayed back and forth to the rhythm. Clark picked up the remote, and turned the volume down a few clicks, it was the middle of the night, and he didn't want to cause any conflict with his neighbors. Luckily Donna didn't seem to notice.

Diana didn't know what to expect when she brought her mother to Clark's apartment after their talk. She didn't expect Donna to fight him, and was sure Clark wouldn't give her a reason to either. But what she saw was a total shock. Donna dancing to music, with a slice of pizza in each hand while Clark sat on the couch trying not to laugh.

Hippolyta didn't know what to think. Donna was behind him, out of his eye line, leading her not to think Clark made her dance for his entertainment. It was just an odd scene. The music was totally new, and the tune was enjoyable, most likely Donna was dancing on her own accord.

"Hello." Clark said.

"Mother, mother, you have to try this!" Donna leaped over the couch where Clark was sitting, landing directly in front of her mother, and all but shoving the slice of pizza in her face. "It's called pizza, it's the most amazing food I've ever eaten."

"Donna, Donna! Calm yourself." Hippolyta demanded. She was nervous about the food, looking to Diana for confirmation.

"It's fine mother. It's just pizza."

Taking the slice from Donna, Hippolyta took a bite. "It is very nice."

"Help yourself to as much as you like. I got plenty." Clark announced.

"Clark Kent." Hippolyta spoke. "I wish to meet your mother. We should travel to this 'Smallville as Kara calls it."

"Well you do know my dad lives there too right?" Clark answered skeptically. It was one thing to attack him, but he wouldn't tolerate anything against his parents.

"Yes I am aware of this. You told me yourself, they've been together for many years. You have my word I will cause no unjust harm to them."

Diana didn't blame Clark for being a defensive, if she were in his shoes she'd probably be the same.

"Alright, I'll give them a call in a little while. I'll see if they're busy today. In the meantime, have a seat, have some more pizza."

"We can't go now?" Donna asked.

"It's 3AM, my parents are sleeping. Plus I'm gonna have to call in from work, and I can't do that for a couple more hours, we're just going to relax. No fighting, no arguing, just good old fashioned chill time."

To emphasize the relaxation, Clark changed the music to a digital smooth jazz station. Donna who was slightly disappointed in the change in tone, stopped dancing and sat down. Hippolyta sat down as well, in a chair opposite Donna. To make a point, Diana sat down next to Clark, deliberately close to him. Hippolyta sneered, but didn't say anything about it. Instead she looked around, examining how Clark laid out his home.

"Interesting decoration." Hippolyta finally said.

"It's like Kara's room." Donna added.

"How so?" Clark asked. Diana perked up too, as she was interested in the answer.

"The symmetry, from the chairs mother and I are sitting in, the the things on that shelf over there." Donna pointed at the TV stand and the speakers on either side of it. "To the pizza boxes on this table in front of us. Kara has her things symmetrical just like this."

"Really? Who knew?" Clark said. "So Diana I guess there's your answer. It's a Kryptonian thing."

"I still don't like it." Diana said.

"You don't?" He asked.

"No. Not here. At the fortress it's fine, but here it bothers me. It's too mathematical, too... alien."

"Gee, thanks." He said dryly.

"I didn't mean it like that." Diana protested.

"Fortress?" Hippolyta asked.

"It's a place I have, built with Kryptonian technology. It's where I go for solitude." He said with extra emphasis on the word solitude. In other words he wasn't planning on inviting Hippolyta for a visit.

"And I take it Diana, you have visited there?"

"Yes. I'm one of the few who's ever been there."

"The only." Clark added. "Not even my parents."

"Really?" Diana didn't know that. "Not even Bru... Batman?"

"Nope."

For the most part Hippolyta observed the conversation instead of joining it, she was getting tired. The more she sat, the more comfortable Clark's chair became. She hadn't slept since she'd arrived in Man's World and for the first time, she was getting sleepy. The music was relaxing, and she was fading fast.

"She's falling asleep." Donna noticed. "She can't go without for as long as we can. She's been up for two days now."

"Clark is there someplace where she can be more comfortable?" Diana asked.

"Yeah, bring her into the the spare room." Clark said as Diana lifted her mother up and carried her over to the extra room where Clark had a daybed set up. It was piece of furniture in a room he rarely used. Hippolyta immediately curled up and got comfortable. Clark and Diana left the room, leaving the light on in case she woke before the sun came up.

"Clark I'm sorry she did that." Diana said softly.

"Well, she didn't have any weapons on her, so no harm done."

"I've never been so mortified in my entire life."

"Hmm, I have."

"How?"

Clark looked into the other room to check on Donna, who was still wolfing down pizza. He felt safe to tell the story. "Basically the same thing happened with Lana's mother. Except for the fact that she didn't attack me, and Lana and I had actually... done the dance. After her initial anger, she was glad it was me."

"I see."

"I guess that's weird for you to hear, sorry." He said.

"No. It's fine. She told me that you two were intimate. She didn't tell that story, but she did say it was difficult, because you couldn't feel her." Diana hesitated. "But we won't have that problem, will we?."

"I don't think so."

"Have you been with anyone else?"

"No."

Diana was glad about that, a long list of women would have been off putting. "So I guess in a way, we'll be each other's first."

"In a way. Yes."

Diana smiled. Clark did too.

"Is everything alright over there?" Donna asked still sitting in her chair.

"Yes it's fine." Diana answered, as she and Clark finally returned.

"Mother is still sleeping?" Donna guessed.

"Yes."

"Are you sure you don't need to sleep?" Clark asked.

"No. I was more hungry than anything. Thank you for the food."

"No problem."

"So how's Kara doing?"

"Good. She's had a time learning control, but she's done it pretty well. Plus she's good to train with, she's not as aggressive as Diana here." Donna said.

"What?" Diana questioned.

"Diana you're super competitive, you have to win everything, by a wide margin." Donna then turned to Clark. "Did you know I've never beaten her in a fight? Never."

"Me neither." Clark said with a smirk on his face. Knowing it would grind Diana's gears.

"That's not true. Sometimes you get lucky. Like the other day before we went swimming." Diana snapped.

"That's right!" Clark said excitedly, snapping his fingers, faking as if he was just remembering. Diana glared at him the whole time.

Donna knew her sister's look all too well, Diana was not happy. She did not like to be teased about anything. Donna learned at an early age that anyone who did tease Diana paid for it dearly. But Clark didn't look worried at all, he kept the silly smile on his face. Donna worried for his safety.

Diana debated what to do. A few punches usually changed his tune, but with her sister right here, and her mother sleeping in the other room that wasn't the best option. She then decided to take a more subtle approach. She turned her frown upside down, then stood. Clark didn't flinch at all, but he was ready for anything. Diana slowly turned, and grabbed the chair by its arms, lifted it up and took two steps to the left before setting it back on the floor and sitting back in it. Ruining the even flow of his home would get on his nerves.

"Oh it's like that?" Clark observed.

"Oh yeah, it's like that." Diana retorted.

"Touché." Clark had to admit, she pulled a good one.

* * *

Hippolyta awoke in a strange room, there was no window, the only light emanating from a fixture in the center of the ceiling. She looked around, unsure where she was. Directly across from her, next to the slightly open door, was a shelf adorned with many books, on top there was a framed photo of a man, woman, and a young boy. As she inspected it closer, she recognized the young boy as Clark. The man and woman were standing on either side of him with a hand on each of his shoulders wearing smiles equally as happy as his. Could they be his parents? They look nothing like him, but they do look happy together. Just like the man and his two daughters. Still Hippolyta couldn't help but think, about what sort of life the woman could have with with two men in it.

Hearing stirring outside the door she left the room in search of others. Based on the picture she assumed she was still in Clark's home, seeing him walking around confirmed it for her. He noticed her as well, and started towards her. There was a different look to him, he had a more challenging look than he did on Themyscira, and had a more defensive posture, probably because she attacked him before. Also because this is his home, he would be more likely to defend himself here. She had to be cautious.

"Is it morning?" Hippolyta began.

"Shhh" Clark put his finger over his mouth and pointed to the sofa where Donna was laid across it sleeping. "Yes it is morning, are you hungry?" He said quietly.

"Perhaps I'll eat later. Where is Diana?" She whispered.

"She went to get the two of you some clothes. We were going to head down to my parent's place after she got back."

"I must admit, I am looking forward to meeting your mother."

"She's looking forward to meeting you, but what about my father?"

"I'll meet him as well."

Just then Diana flew back in, carrying several items of clothing for both Donna and her mother.

"I'll leave you two to get situated." Clark then disappeared into his own room.

"He seems cold and distant. More defensive." Hippolyta observed.

"That's because of you. Come with me, we have to do more than change your clothes."

Diana dropped the clothes she was holding onto a chair and pulled her mother into the bathroom. Diana was holding just a towel and a small box in her hand.

"What are you doing?" Hippolyta queried.

"Aging you, you don't look old enough to have a daughter my age."

"How will you do that?"

"A streak of gray hair."

"Why do I need that?"

"I just told you, you need to look older. Now I need you to cooperate, this color wasn't easy to find, silver hair is the opposite of what women want."

Per the instructions Diana poured the dye onto the sections of hair she wanted to color, choosing not to tell her mother any of the side effects of the coloring.

"Diana my scalp is beginning to burn." Hippolyta complained.

"I know. That means I should rinse."

"Then rinse!" Hippolyta tried to do it herself, but was stopped by Diana, who pinned the queen's arms at her sides.

"Give me your word, that you won't harm Clark or his father."

The burning was increasing by the second. Hippolyta couldn't believe what her daughter was doing. "Diana this burns!"

"I need your word as an Amazon!"

"Then you have it! Get this awful chemical out of my head!"

Diana jerked her mothers head underneath the high arching bathroom faucet, and held it under the cold water, much to Hippolyta's relief.

Hippolyta couldn't help but feel the situation getting worse, now even her own daughter was against her.


	19. Chapter 19

The four of them flew through the early afternoon sky towards Smallville. Diana insisted upon being with arms reach of Clark the entire flight. Much to Hippolyta's chagrin she reached over to touch him several times. She was being carried by Donna, she figured her the safest choice given that Diana had nearly burned and drowned her five minutes ago. Diana had been in such a foul mood Hippolyta was worried about being dropped. She didn't think she would be allowed to hit the ground, but Diana might want to prove a point.

Clark landed on the outskirts of the property, just as he did the first time with Diana. Hoping the walk would allow them to get out as much awkwardness as they could. Luckily this time there was no ridiculous fishing line argument, his parents were quietly sitting in the living room.

"Diana how do you wear these clothes? They're so constricting. It's like wearing armor, but armor that won't protect me from anything." Donna complained. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a sweater, some of the original clothes Clark had purchased before their first official date.

"You insisted upon wearing that. Now you have to deal with it." Diana spoke.

"Is it supposed to be this tight? I feel like I can barely move." Donna turned her upper body back and forth several times to demonstrate her discomfort.

Diana simply smiled silently. In actuality the clothes were supposed to be tighter. They were Diana's clothes, and she was a bit fuller in the shoulders and chest than Donna was, so the sweater hung a little loose.

"You should have worn the dress. All of us said you would be more comfortable." Hippolyta added. Who wore a black skirt that went just past her knees, with a lavender blouse tucked into the waist, and sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Diana had described the look as business casual. Hippolyta picked it because she felt sufficiently covered up, without being too constricted. Also because lavender was one of her favorite colors. Looking in the mirror, she had to admit, the streak of gray hair gave her a more distinguished look. She hadn't aged since she was 34, the year she was granted with immortality on the island of Themyscira, and she looked like it. If anyone asked, she would look far too young to be Diana and Donna's mother. She found she didn't mind the color at all.

Hippolyta inhaled and exhaled deeply. Walking behind Clark and Diana, she took in the scenery. The open fields, the trees, aside from the few modern structures she saw it was almost reminiscent of home.

"Mother why are you breathing like that? Are you alright?" Donna asked.

"Yes little one, I am fine. The air here is much cleaner than the city. It seems to be a much better place to live."

"In a lot of ways it is. I grew up here, and probably one day I'll come back." Clark said.

"I don't know how long we'll stay here, but I need both of you to know, that there are people in this town that know me. They know me as Diana Prince, a human woman who is dating Clark Kent. If we meet anyone other than the Kents you are simply my mother and sister coming for a visit." Diana spoke sternly. "I trust you will both protect our secret."

"You can count on me sister." Donna said happily.

Outwardly, Hippolyta kept her face cool and unfazed, but inwardly she was a wreck. She did not like this situation one bit. There is something here that is not right, she was looking forward to meeting Clark's parents, maybe by meeting them she could figure out what it is that keeps the women here under control.

As they approached the house, Clark leaned over and whispered something into Diana's ear. He was too close. He was also touching her, a hand was on the small of her back. Diana didn't knock his hand away, she leaned up to listen to what he had to say, and appeared to agree with it. All of this made Hippolyta furious.

Clark ran up ahead and cleared the porch steps in one effortless bound. Without knocking or hesitating, he walked straight into the house.

"Alright kids." Clark called his parents kids sometimes, just for fun. "The lights are on, and the curtain is going up. Let's do this."

Martha and Jonathan stood as Diana led her mother and sister into the house. Diana immediately brightened up, happy to see Clark's parents again.

"Hello Mrs. Kent, it's so good to see you again, and you too Mr. Kent." Diana hugged both of them as if they were family. "I would like you to meet my sister, Princess Donna and my mother Queen Hippolyta of Themyscira."

"Hello Princess." Martha said warmly. "Hippolyta." She said, with a bit of an edge.

"Greetings." Hippolyta stated. She was looking directly at Martha, not even acknowledging Clark and Jonathan.

The tension was thick, mostly because of Martha, she had the look of a lioness ready to pounce at any second. Hippolyta was more curious and confused, but still ready for anything.

"So, Mama what you got to eat?" Clark asked as he always did when he was home, only this time he was trying to ease the tension in the room.

"I wanted to talk to you about that." Jonathan answered. "We don't have enough for everybody. We weren't expecting company."

"Alright, that's fine. We can cover that. I'll go back to Metropolis and get some cash, and pick something up on the way back." Clark said.

"You couldn't just go to the store here?" Diana asked.

"When I show up out of the blue like this, I don't leave the farm, or if I do, I go where nobody will recognize me. Word spreads fast in a town like this, people will wonder how and when I got here."

Martha and Hippolyta were still locked in on each other. Jonathan knew all too well the look on Martha's face, and if he didn't get a conversation going this situation wouldn't end well.

"Please have a seat." Jonathan signaled a couch for Hippolyta and Donna. Opposite where he and Martha were sitting, with only a coffee table between them.

Hippolyta and Donna sat down, with Martha sitting opposite the queen. Donna looked directly at Jonathan with a big smile. She still didn't know how to act around men, and smiling was what she often did when she was nervous. Jonathan on the other hand didn't understand, a 17 year old girl staring at him, with a big grin on her face.

"I'll get us something to sit on." Clark said, as he and Diana were the only one's who didn't have a place to sit.

"Donna." Diana whispered harshly with a questioning look. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry." She said to Jonathan, who was too confused to respond.

Clark returned seconds later holding a two person loveseat over his head, he started to set it down in front of the fireplace, but Diana moved to help him. Instead of assisting him, she purposely pushed one end of the couch backwards, the quickly sat down. The couch was wildly uneven with the others, Clark didn't like it one bit, and gave Diana a chiding look to let her know. But Clark didn't say anything, instead he lifted Diana up, and moved the couch into alignment, then sat down himself, placing Diana next to him.

Clark & Diana's little squabble broke the mood enough for Hippolyta to finally speak.

"I do not approve of your son."

"I gathered that." Martha said.

"There is a problem isn't there Mrs. Kent?"

"I know what happened this morning when you met with Clark. I don't approve of that. I say let's just get it out there, right now you're in _my_ house. In here, I am the Queen, and I make the rules. And it is the ruling of this queen that if you do anything against my husband or my son, you'll have to answer to me. And trust me, you don't want me for an enemy."

While his mother spoke, Clark felt like a little boy tattletaling on the mean old lady. But the aftermath seemed to make it worth the feeling.

Hippolyta was stunned, Martha's thinly veiled threat was unexpected. Here was a woman, who in body was decades older than herself, but was still fierce, and would protect her family at all costs. What Martha had just said, changed things, it was as if Martha was an Amazon herself. She realized she needed to back off, and being insulting isn't the way to prevent a life of misery for Diana.

"She makes the rules?" Donna asked Jonathan. "So that means you submit her will?"

Jonathan could tell, just as everyone else, that some common ground was being made. He had to be specific with his words. "Uh, she doesn't ask me to. We do things together. It's better that way. That's how marriage works."

"I see. I can explain my actions from earlier. I walked in and saw him in bed with my daughter, I assumed the worst." Hippolyta stated.

"Oh really? He didn't tell me that part." Martha exclaimed. "Clark Jeffrey Kent I thought I raised you better than that!"

"Sleeping!" Clark shouted.

"Hold on now, they're both consenting adults. There's not a whole lot we can do to stop them." Jonathan responded.

"We were sleeping." Clark said again, this conversation was not where he wanted it to be. "And that's the last we're going to talk about it. Your highness, you said before we left you wanted to see what a real family is like, but we're not going to talk about that." Clark didn't even want to say the word sex in front of his parents, it just made him feel creepy.

"Flash and Green Lantern talk about sex all the time, why would it be so different now?" Diana asked.

"You really want to talk about that with your mother in the room. Because I don't." Clark exclaimed.

"I suppose not." Diana agreed, after thinking about it.

"If we don't change the subject I'm leaving."

"But, Clark that doesn't help anything if you leave." Diana added.

"Why do you two antagonize each other?" Donna asked suddenly. "This is at least the fourth time you've done it. Diana, you've done it twice with furniture, and Clark you did it when talking about fighting. If you claim to like each other why would you purposely do such a thing?"

No one had a good answer, but Hippolyta was going to give it a try anyway.

"Because they should not be together. Clark, I'm sure there are many women who would obey your every word. You should have one of them."

"Nobody wants a slave. It's a relationship, give and take, compromise and sacrifice. Plus it's entertaining." Jonathan said.

"You would said that." Martha nagged. "You love to get on my last nerve."

"No more than you get on mine!"

"Jonathan, you won't even answer a simple yes or no question without giving me a hard time." Martha exclaimed.

"We're back on that again? If you must know that wasn't a yes or no question. That required far more effort than I was willing to give just then."

Hippolyta became confused as Jonathan and Martha continued to argue over something that happened probably very recently. Some couple they were. "Diana, you see these two, who have been together for many years, still argue with each other. How could you willingly want to be a part of that?"

"Do you not argue with Phillipus? She is your oldest and closest friend. How can it be so different? Besides they don't always argue, they make love as well." Diana said.

"Nope!" Clark yelled again. "Not going there either!" As it is, with his super hearing, he knew _way_ too much about his parents love life over the years. He was damn sure not going to talk about it!

"A hypocrite as well." Hippolyta said to Clark. "You wish to 'make love' with my daughter yet..."

"Nope! I'm leaving! I'm going to get the food, and I'm not coming back until you people get your heads out of the gutter!"

Clark quickly stood and left the house. Diana raced to catch up with him.

"I'll be back soon. Mother, I expect you to honor your promise."

As they watched the young couple take to the sky Donna, was unsure what to do with herself. She had been quietly listening to the conversation for the most part, but without Diana she felt really out of place. She figured she'd just have to muscle through it.

* * *

Clark and Diana flew back to Metropolis in no time, without Hippolyta in tow they could push a little faster. Only slow enough to keep their clothes from being ruined by the speed and heat. They headed into a grocery store to pick up anything they'd need to eat.

"Why did we come back to Metropolis?" Diana asked.

"So that my credit card company doesn't freeze my card. If you ever noticed, if I ever go out of town I pay for everything in cash. Keeps people from tracking where I am all the time."

"I see." Diana said. She didn't really care about that, she really wanted to ask about what had been on their mind all day. Since this was the first time they'd been alone, she wanted to talk. "So what happened last night? You kind of fell apart there."

"Right. That." He said solemnly. "I do that from time to time. Sometimes I just need to vent."

"I figured that, but you were talking about Krypton, why?"

"Sometimes I dream about it, how they were told what was going to happen, and did nothing about it. When I see the signs here, I can't help but think about them, and I wonder if I'll be able to stop the world from destroying itself."

"If it comes to that, yes you will. And I'll be right there with you the whole time. I love it here too you know. But we should hurry, I don't know how long Donna can play referee to our parents." Diana wondered if there was more to it than he was telling, but they needed to get back.

* * *

Back on the farm, things had gotten more relaxed. Hippolyta listened to the stories of Clark's accomplishments. Both as Superman and in his personal life, nothing that was said would point to him being a bad person. Any parent would always portray their child in the best light, but Hippolyta was hard pressed to think they were lying. It was also odd how Jonathan and Martha so quickly forgot their earlier argument, they had been on the same page for a little while now.

Their relationship was built on friendship and trust. A foundation that had lasted for over 30 years, and seemed strong enough to endure another 30. It was just as Clark and Diana said their relationship was based on. It was not based on control or domination from either side. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that at a moment's notice everything could change, leaving one of them in pain. She desperately did not want her daughter to have to deal with that.

It was about 45 minutes later when Clark and Diana returned. Everyone was still seated as they were, and no one looked like they had just gone 12 rounds in the ring either. Maybe without them around they could air their feelings better. Donna however looked very excited to see them again.

"We're going to put these away." Diana announced, with a handful of bags.

"I'll assist you." Donna said, quickly heading towards the kitchen with Clark and Diana.

In the kitchen, Clark put away the groceries alone, as the two sisters didn't know where to put things anyway.

"So how has it gone?" Diana asked.

"Mother is just listening. She hasn't said much. I think she's beginning to have some respect for Mrs. Kent, I'm not so sure about Mr. Kent though, or Clark."

"It's a start." Clark said.

* * *

A little while later everyone had broken off to do something else. Donna had gone with Clark and Diana to explore some of the places he used to play as a boy. Jonathan had gone outside, and Martha was beginning to prepare dinner. Never a woman for the kitchen, Hippolyta chose to go outside to see what Jonathan was doing.

It took a little while to find him, as he could have been anywhere. She found him in the middle of a clearing, sitting on a stool with an easel in front of him.

"You're a painter?" She asked, coming up behind him.

"Me? No, not really. I'm not very good, it's just nice to release stress."

"I never had the talent for art, but my daughters do."

"I've found it's not really about talent. It's about serenity, happy little trees over here, maybe a bush or some happy clouds."

"Happy trees?" Hippolyta asked.

"Forget it." Why did he even say that? She was from ancient Greece, there was no way she would get a Bob Ross reference. "I come out here to get away from everything. It's just me and God. It's peaceful."

Hippolyta changed the subject. "This whole business of love, between our children. I don't understand it."

Jonathan paused before speaking. "Have you ever loved someone?"

"Yes."

"I mean, truly been in love? Not made from family bonds, or forged by shared experience, but unconditional love, by choice."

"Perhaps not."

"I'll tell you. It's awesome. To wake up every day and have Martha there with me. Weather the harvest is strong or we have to struggle to get by, she's going to be there. It took a long time and a lot of work for us to get to where we are. And it's all been worth it. And I couldn't be happier to see Clark pursuing that. It's something he's wanted his entire life, something he thought he couldn't have."

"Perhaps the work has paid off for you, but the lives of our children are not so simple."

"No they aren't. Clark may be the strongest man this world has ever seen, but to me he'll always be the little boy I picked out of a spaceship all those years ago."

"Diana will always be the little girl I held in my arms. She was made of my own blood, sweat and tears, I cannot bear the thought of harm coming to her. Especially not from someone she trusts."

"It's a two way street you know. She could hurt him just as easily as he could her. Only I don't think that's going to happen. They've seen struggles that we... or at least I, could only imagine. They've seen the ugly parts of life, and still want to pursue happiness. There's been peace here for a while now, but it won't last. They both know it, if they're together when the next threat comes, it'll make them that much stronger, because they'll go extra hard to protect the other."

"It's not easy, watching our children grow is it?" She asked.

"Not at all. But we have to let them, otherwise we stop them from becoming the people they want to be. All that will do is drive them away from us."

"Yes." Hippolyta agreed. "I'm beginning to understand that. After my first meeting with Clark, on Themyscira, and last night in my anger, I saw the look on my daughter's face. It broke my heart, I betrayed her. I do not wish to do that again. I realize that I cannot force them apart, but how can I not lose her?"

"Just try to accept the life she wants, accept the people she chooses to have in her life, and she'll come back to you."

"Accepting him, means going against everything I've believed for my entire life."

"No one ever said life was easy, but in the end I bet it'll be worth the effort."

Hippolyta chuckled lightly. "I've never heard such wise words from a man."

"Is that right? I'd say that's quite an accomplishment for me." He began laughing, and Hippolyta joined him.

* * *

Dinner was much more relaxed, they sat in the kitchen eating fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, broccoli and biscuits. The food was prepared very differently than Hippolyta and Donna were accustomed to, but they both enjoyed it. Conversation flowed much more freely as well, the parents had one thing in common, silly stories about raising superpowered children.

"Clark is a very patient man." Martha began. "But when he was young, he drove me up the wall sometimes. I'll never forget, one day, he decided he was hungry..."

"Oh here we go." Clark complained. "Can I tell the story, I want it to be told right. So, I was about 14, I was just discovering my heat vision, and one day I wanted a hamburger. So I went and I asked, 'Mama will you make me a hamburger?' 'No' she says, 'You're old enough to make it yourself' she says. Which was true. I could make a burger no problem. But since I was on my own, I wasn't about to wait around. So I put the meat into the pan, and zapped it, thinking it would be done in no time. In the end, I just melted a hole in the pan."

"A hole, in my good frying pan. I spent years seasoning that pan so the food cooked in it would taste right. He ruined it in three seconds. I still get mad when I think about that."

"Then she hit me with the pan. Right in the head." Clark added.

Diana laughed loudly at that. She hadn't heard this story before.

"I wasn't trying to hit you on the head." Martha explained. "You ducked into it, it's not like it hurt you anyway."

Diana was still laughing, Clark didn't like that.

"Oh laugh it up sweetheart. I'm sure you've done some embarrassing things in your life." Clark offered, hoping Hippolyta would tell a story.

"As a matter of fact, she has her own kitchen incident." Hippolyta offered. "She was probably 10 years of age, learning to bake bread. I was told by her teachers that she refused to put her hands into the dough, then decided to break the mixing bowl. I do not recall what happened next but, I do remember being told that she dove inside the brick oven and broke it as well."

Clark threw his head back in laughter, he predicted that Diana threw tantrums to get out of doing chores, but didn't know she would stoop that far. "You dove inside the oven? Who does that?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. I don't know what I was thinking. I didn't want to bake any bread, I wanted to go hunt down a hog. They made me rebuild the oven after that."

They continued to tell stories after dinner was finished. Hippolyta couldn't help but notice, that most of hers were secondhand stories. There were a lot of times where she had to be a Queen, and missed out on being a mother. It occurred to her, that since Diana was romantically involved with Clark, there was a very real possibility that Diana could one day end up with children. She envied the Kents and their close relationship with their son, and wouldn't want to miss out on seeing a granddaughter grow up, even a grandson. It would be difficult, but she would have to learn to accept it. For no other reason than to keep her daughter as part of her life.

"Clark." Hippolyta spoke, "I have come to your world, seen your home and met your family. There are still many things I do not approve of, and others I simply do not understand, but it appears you are a fixture in my daughter's life. I realize that I cannot dictate Diana's life to suit my desires, she must live on her own. I have decided, that you will be given the opportunity to earn my trust. What say you?"

"Good." Clark simply said. Diana smiled.

"Clark, do you know any nice boys for me to meet?" Donna asked.

"I don't." Clark looked directly at Hippolyta as he spoke, he was not about to blow his chance after three seconds.

"Good, Donna we will return to Themyscira now. Mrs. and Mr. Kent I thank you for your kindness and hospitality. Diana, always be safe."

She stood and started for the door, before turning back. "Clark, do you recall my parting words before you left Themyscira?"

Clark thought, '_if you ever hurt my daughter in any way, there is nothing that will stop me from ending your life in the most agonizing way you could ever imagine.'_

"I do." he said.

"Good. Always remember them. Come little one."

Donna led her mother outside, wrapped her arms around her and leaped towards the clouds. As soon as they were out of sight, Diana jumped into Clarks arms and kissed him with everything she had. Clark was a little uncomfortable given the fact that his parents were in the room, but Diana didn't care.

"It may have started out bad." She said happily, "But I think today went pretty good."

"I suppose it did." Clark said. "I suppose it did..."


	20. Chapter 20

"I'm so happy! She's finally going to accept us being together." Diana beamed. They had flown back to his apartment in Metropolis. In her reverie she danced around his apartment like a ballerina.

"I don't know about accept. It's more like tolerate." Clark warned.

"She said you'll have the chance to earn her trust. That means she'll accept us in no time. Why don't you seem very happy about this?"

"I am happy about it." He said unconvincingly. "There's just more to it."

"What more?"

"The parting words. She basically said, that if I ever hurt you she'll murder me."

"No she won't." Diana assured nonchalontly.

"She won't?"

"Of course not. If you ever hurt me, I'd kill you long before she got a chance."

Clark was taken aback, she's just said that with such a straight face he actually believe she'd do it.

"Uh, define hurt." He said warily.

"Clark, it's fine. I won't let her hurt you. Besides, pretty soon she'll have to be chaperone for Donna."

"Oh man, I feel sorry for the guy who asks to date her."

"Is that why you told you you don't know any nice boys?"

"That and the fact that your mother is frightening. To put any guy through that, goes against man law."

"Man law?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Whatever. So what are we going to do tonight?"

"I want to just chill, I've got to work in the morning. As a matter of fact, I'm going to go jump in bed, and do nothing for the rest of the night "

"Oh yeah. I forgot about work." Diana said. "Can I stay the night anyway?"

"You may." He said, as he lumbered towards his bedroom, with Diana following. Once inside he kicked off his shoes and removed his shirt. Then he stopped at the foot of the bed and stared at it.

"What's the problem?" Diana asked, coming to stand next to him.

"I gotta figure out which side of the bed I want."

"Does it matter?"

"Yes it matters. As you have pointed out, I need balance in my life. This is actually more of a dilemma than I realized, before you said something I was unconscious of all of this symmetry. Now I'm going to be extra OCD."

"How about I just take the left side, like I did in my bed?"

"Alright. Wait... No. I don't know."

Diana didn't want to deal with any of this, at first she thought he was doing this on purpose to get her back for purposely throwing the furniture off balance, but on second thought, he was serious.

So she tossed him into the center of the bed, dove on top and kissed him. She pinned his arms above his head, and held him underneath her. "Does it really matter that much?"

"I think I'll get over it." He said.

"Good."

Diana rolled off him, and stood up to spin out of her clothes into a red silk nightgown. It was much more revealing than the others she had worn in front of him. It showed off more leg, and more cleavage. Clark tried not to look like he was staring, but had the feeling that he was failing miserably at it. He quickly changed into his signature sleepwear, a pair of gym shorts, and started towards the bed before Diana stopped him.

"Do you like my gown?" She asked, spinning around for him like a model.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do." He took the opportunity to get a really good look at her.

"Good." She smiled, then lightly raked her fingernails down his chest and torso, stopping at the waistband of his shorts. Her hands lingered there, and she stared into his eyes with a mischievous smile. Clark couldn't tell what she was doing, or what she wanted.

"Tell me something Clark. Do you ever use your x-ray vision to look at me?"

"No." He answered honestly, but with caution in his voice.

"Really? So you're not even tempted?" She stepped back, and poked her chest out towards him a little bit. His eyes dropped briefly, before returning to her eyes.

"Not really." He said it casually, but that was a total lie, he was tempted constantly, but always refrained. He decided that it would be all the more rewarding when she allowed him to see her.

"Such control for the great Kryptonian." Diana remarked, "Honestly Clark I don't know how you do it. If I could, I would watch you all the time."

"Is that right?" Clark decided to go along with the game she was playing, figuring he could enjoy himself a little bit too. Still in the back of his mind he thought she was just testing him.

"So would you watch me when I do this?" He lifted his right arm and flexed his biceps.

"Oh yes," She said, as she rubbed her hands across his arm. "Such a big strong man to keep me warm at night. Come to bed."

She took his hand and pulled him to the bed, where she had him lay down first. Then deliberately climbed over him, making a point to brush over his aroused body. She had felt him like this before, on the beach after their swimming session but this time was different. This time it was her intention to get him excited. She kissed him deeply, laying on top and holding him close.

"Good night." She then said, and pulled away abruptly. Without another word she turned over and looked to get settled in for sleep.

It was then, that Clark realized she was just playing him. Getting him all riled up, just to leave him in the cold. He had the feeling that this would be the first of many times where she would use her sexuality as a weapon against him. He also had the feeling that she would win every battle against him with it as well. He supposed it could be worse.

Diana had been trying to get a feel for him, and his levels of control. She trusted Clark with her life, but she still didn't like the idea of giving up total control. Having sex would mean just that, allowing him complete and intimate control over her, as an Amazon it was a difficult thought to allow that. As it was, it was only a few days ago that she decided she would actually have sex with Clark. Before that, there were only passing thoughts, and of course the occasional erotic dream.

In her fantasies he was perfect, doing exactly what she wanted, exactly the way she wanted it, but she knew the real thing would be different. He could lose his incredible control, and be driven by his body instead of his mind. Lack of control was something she's never seen from him, it was something she had to mentally prepare herself for. Part of her wanted to jump him and get it over with now, but the other part wanted to wait, wanted to carefully weigh her options after speaking with him about it.

That's what they would do, they'd have a long talk about likes and dislikes, wants and desires. That would calm Diana's nerves. She decided that this talk would come at the earliest possible convenience, however that wasn't tonight, after teasing him like she did, and so soon after her mother left town this was not the right time. Maybe tomorrow after work, maybe the next day, either way it would be soon.

* * *

Diana woke up to a soft buzzing sound, Clark wasn't in bed with her so she assumed he was making whatever noise she was hearing. She stood and walked towards the sound, finding Clark in the bathroom cutting his hair.

He stood shirtless in with his back to the wall mirror with a what outwardly looked like cordless Oster Classic 76 clippers in one hand, and a small handheld mirror in the other. He was working on the back of his hair, looking to be deep in concentration, not wanting to make a mistake.

"Good morning." He said casually, without looking at her or breaking his concentration.

"Good morning. You're cutting your hair. How often do you have to do that?"

"Every couple of weeks."

"What are you using to cut it? Those look like regular clippers."

He silently stopped cutting and handed her the clippers. The weight was unexpected, it was nothing in her hand but for something so small it weighed a lot.

"It's heavy. You made these yourself?"

"Yup, this bad boy is about two hundred pounds. The blades are made from Kryptonian alloy and the motor is powered by a Kryptonian solar crystal, which is what makes it so heavy."

"I see. I always wondered how you kept your hair short. Always assumed you cut it like everyone else did, since your hair is so soft. I had no idea."

"It feels soft, but just like the rest of me; stronger than diamonds. Speaking of hair, I like yours right now."

Diana looked into the mirror and was surprised he would like how she looked.

"I look a complete mess? You like this?"

"I don't think you should leave the house like that, but when we're alone, I like the look." He imagined that's what she would look like after a long night of lovemaking. After last night, he wanted even more to see her that way.

"I don't know why you would like me like this. But whatever, I'll let you finish." Diana left his bedroom, while he finished with his hair.

20 minutes later Clark came out of his room, freshly showered and dressed for work. He was about to leave when he caught a glimpse of Diana in his kitchen. She was bent over looking through something in the bottom of his refrigerator. He had a clear look at her exquisite derriere. He'd have to fly to work if he didn't stop staring, but at the moment he didn't care.

Diana heard Clark step into the kitchen, but couldn't see him. "You know, sometimes I really hate having to be so careful not to break things. This package shouldn't have been this difficult to get to." Diana said, finally standing up with a package of breakfast sausage in hand.

Clark was only vaguely aware that she had said something. "What?"

"Nothing." Diana responded, realizing what he'd just been doing. "So did you like what you saw?"

"Uh, yeah?" He hoped she wouldn't be angry.

"Good. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes. Headed out the door right now."

Diana put the food on the counter, walked up and gave him a big hug. "Have a wonderful day!" She said giving him several loud kisses.

"What are you going to do all day?" He asked.

"I figure I'll go to the watchtower for a while, just to see what's going on. But, I will be here when you get back."

"Alright, I'll see you then. Bye."

"Bye!"

He walked out the door, while she went back to prepare some breakfast. Figuring sausage and toast should be easy enough.

On the way out, he looked through the walls back into the apartment, Diana was placing a pan on the stove. Just to be safe he went back and yelled from the doorway. "I'd appreciate if you didn't burn down the building!"

"Shut up!"

He laughed as he closed and locked the door, this time leaving for good.

* * *

The Watchtower was rarely busy in the morning, but given the lack of world trouble it was even more dead than usual. Diana made her way to the cafeteria, there were only three people there. Wally was unsurprisingly working on a stack of pancakes and John Henry was standing up from a seat next to Zatanna.

"Thanks Johnny!" Zatanna called as he was leaving.

"You're more than welcome." He said with a smile. "Good morning Diana."

"Good morning John Henry." She responded.

He didn't break stride, exiting the cafeteria and walking down the hall briskly.

Looking back, Wally was in a zone with his food, talking with him wouldn't be a very good idea, so she chose to head towards Zee.

"Hello Zatanna, do you mind if I join you?" Diana asked.

"Diana hi! Not at all, have a seat."

"So what brings you here so early?"

"Food, I am so sick of take out I just had to have something cooked with some... umph."

"Umph?"

"I guess? That's not really the best word, I just wanted something that was made by someone I know. John Henry was kind enough to make some breakfast for me."

Diana looked at the plate of sausage, eggs, biscuits and gravy in front of Zatanna. It looked much better than the over cooked sausage and burnt toast she made herself before she left Clark's.

"So how are things going with you and Clark?" Zatanna finally asked. Diana wondered how long it would take for her to ask about him.

"We're wonderful, we had a wild weekend, but we made it."

"Rough patch?"

"Not really, it's just my mother paid us a visit. She showed up out of the blue and caught us in bed together."

Zatanna began coughing, hard. Diana's words were a complete shock. "Zee are you ok?"

Zee held up one finger to signal 'just a minute' to Diana while she took a big drink of grape juice, attempting to combat the coughing.

"Your mother caught you in bed with Clark? Wow." She finally said after regaining her composure. "I bet she was mad. I know if my dad would have caught me doing the nasty with some guy he would have flipped out!"

"The nasty? No, no! We were just sleeping." Diana insisted.

"Whatever you say Diana." Zatanna said sarcastically. "So what happened?"

"She walked in on us, and attacked Clark. Eventually we went to his parents house, they were able to calm her down."

"Woah, you met his parents?"

"Yes, this was the second time I been to Smallville."

"Sounds like you two are getting awful cozy together."

"I suppose." Diana wanted to tell someone about herself and Clark, she wasn't sure why she let Zatanna of all people be the first to hear it, but she was the only one here. Except Wally. "Wait. What happened to Wally?" Diana looked around not seeing him anymore.

"He was here earlier. He must have left."

"I hope he didn't hear any of that." Diana worried.

"It's fine, he's a guy they don't gossip like we do... So tell me, what's Superman like in bed?"

"Excuse me?" Diana was taken aback. Zee wasn't joking about gossip.

"Come on Diana, you're living the ultimate fantasy of every woman on the planet! You have to tell me, what's he like? Is he fast, slow, gentle, rough? Come on tell me?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please girl, you have to tell me, did he make you scream, did you make him scream? Did you break the bed what?"

"Zatanna! We were sleeping, we haven't had sex yet."

"What?" Zee shouted. "You were serious? What are you waiting for? You've got Superman in your bed and all you do is sleep? I can't believe I'm hearing this."

"We did get caught. Why does it matter so much to you anyway?"

"I want to live vicariously through you. Diana it's not all about you, this is getting down with Superman we're talking about, you must understand you do this for women everywhere!"

So this must be it, this is why Zatanna always asked questions about her and Clark, she wanted him for herself.

"Diana." Zatanna continued. "I know Clark has had a few girlfriends, but I feel like he isn't the kind of guy to get down with just any girl. He turned me down a long time ago, because he wasn't in love with me. If you get a chance at that, not just the sex but the love too, go for it. And then give me details."

"So you don't want Clark for yourself?"

"Not if he doesn't want me. Besides he's yours, and I'm happy for you."

That calmed Diana's nerves considerably. She didn't like the idea of another woman going after Clark, the fact that Clark turned her down was also a good thing. After that, the conversation shifted, to different topics, such as Diana's next moves for her foundation, upcoming events for Zatanna, the latest league gossip, and strangely enough, interior design. Apparently it's something Zee has been passionate about since she was young. Diana was happy to have a little girl talk, usually the only time she got it was with Shannon, only this time she didn't have to leave certain things out. There was good and bad about talking with Shannon, Diana didn't like lying to her, but Shannon was great for keeping her grounded.

Zatanna on the other hand seemed to be easily distracted, mid sentence she zoned out began looking past Diana. Something had caught her eye.

"Zatanna, what are you looking at?" Diana asked, looking behind her, but not seeing anything out of the ordinary. John Henry and Ollie were each getting themselves a bottle of water.

"Oh my." Zee said absently.

"What? What are you seeing that I'm not?"

"Did you ever notice how cut John Henry is?"

Diana looked back at John Henry, he was wearing workout clothes and was sweating heavily, as was Ollie, she could only assume they had been in the gym. "He's in very good shape. Why?"

"You think he's single?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe it's the breakfast talking, or maybe it's just his glistening biceps, but John Henry Irons can get it. Why didn't notice before?"

Diana figured it was because she was eyeing Clark. "You should go for it, he may be into you." Diana said.

"Should I?... he's built like a tank, he's really smart, and apparently a great chef." Zee lifted up her empty plate to demonstrate that point. "Do you really think he'd go for me?"

"I think so, and if you're interested in him, you should tell him. It's what I did with Clark." Diana hoped if she was going for John Henry she would forget about Clark. "I could tell him for you."

"No!" Zatanna yelped, causing both John Henry and Ollie to look up at her. "Don't do that." She whispered. "I'll tell him myself."

* * *

Clark wondered what was going on, Lois was taking him out for lunch. This often meant she wanted something from him, as she was in the bathroom at the restaurant he worried about what it could possibly be. The last few times she'd taken him to lunch was to get him to cover for her while she followed some dangerous lead or source, all of which ended in Superman rescuing her. She returned to her seat with a big smile on her face, that couldn't mean well for him.

"Clark, I want to thank you." Lois began.

"You do?" He was surprised.

"Yes, your little talk the other day opened my eyes to what I really wanted."

"Is that right."

"Yes. I realize I don't want a long term relationship with one person, the thought of waking up and seeing the same guy every day for rest of my life isn't all that appealing to me."

"I see, but didn't you say you didn't want to be lonely?" Clark pointed out.

"That's true. I did say that, and I've come up with the perfect solution."

"You're going lesbian?" Clark joked.

"Hell no!" Lois shouted, making several other patrons turn and stare at her.

"Woah, sorry." He didn't think she would get that mad.

"Is that what you think about all day? A couple of hot chicks gettin it on?" Lois questioned.

"No, I don't think about that at all. Getting back to the subject, what's your brilliant plan?"

"My brilliant plan? Oh right! Clark, I have decided that I'm going to have a baby!"

Clark didn't look convinced, he kept a straight face, waiting for the punchline. When it didn't come, he became skeptical. "You, a baby?"

"Yeah."

"Okay? So who's gonna be the lucky daddy?"

"See, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"No, no no. I am not donating anything."

"I wasn't going to ask that. Don't worry Smallville, I'm not that desperate."

"Alright, I just wanted to be clear."

"I understand, but as far as the daddy goes, I haven't figured that part out. I don't know if I'd want to go through a clinic, or just find somebody, but maybe it would be a better idea to adopt. What do you think?"

"I like adoption. It worked out pretty well for me. The clinic thing seems a little sketchy. I've heard some horror stories about those."

"As have I, and since I don't know anybody who I'd be willing to procreate with, that leaves adoption. Now I know it's not easy for a single woman to adopt, but it's worth a thought. My real question is, do you think I'd make a good mother?"

"Am I really the best person to ask? I mean... have you talked to your sister, or maybe your mom?" Clark asked.

"No, I haven't talked to them yet. You seem to be my voice of reason these days, I wanted to get your opinion first."

Clark tried to imagine her with children. "Let's see, you're impatient, quick to anger, and very judgemental. I don't know if that's those are the best traits for motherhood. However, when you put your mind to something, you're good at making it happen. Parenthood is serious stuff, you can't count on Superman saving you from that."

"I know, I know. Adoption takes a long time anyway, especially for a single woman. I guess I've got time to change my mind, but I definitely know that I need to make some changes in my life. I don't want to go on the way I am."

"Well, whatever you decide I'll be there for you. I'm always your friend." Clark assured. It was good that Lois wanted to make changes, it would probably mean less work in the cape. Which was beginning to be a good thing. Also because he wanted to see Lois happy.

* * *

Diana had a nice time spending most of the day at the watchtower, there wasn't very much activity on board, but she did discover why she hadn't been asked to be Bruce's backup yet. It was because he hadn't been going out for the last week, all he's done lately is monitor duty. She wondered briefly what he was actually doing, but then figured he had everything in hand.

She was now returning to Clark's apartment. With her she had a small bag of clothes and personal items. He wasn't home, so she went to to work at find a place to stash a few things, since she was here so often, and expected to be visiting more often, she figured leaving a few outfits couldn't hurt. The chests of drawers were full, most of them were filled with button up work shirts that were still wrapped in plastic, so she opted for the walk-in closet.

As expected, everything was color coordinated, black suits, gray suits, blue and brown, all balanced perfectly. He had more space than clothing, and plenty of extra hangers so she just hung up a few of her own things, a few dresses, and several pairs of pants. Then she folded several tee shirts and sweaters on a shelf next to some items of lingerie. Finally two nightgowns, the most revealing ones she owned, were placed in the chair at the left side of the bed. It would be several hours before he returned from work so she picked a book off of one of his shelves and made herself comfortable in the living room.

Clark came home hours later with a bag of groceries, Diana said she would be there when he returned, so he picked up something to eat. "Hello." He called out as he entered.

"Hi Clark!" Diana said happily. She was glad he was finally home, she got bored with the book she picked out rather quickly, and spent the rest of the time watching a marathon of NCIS on television. "What do you have there?"

"Fruit punch, maple syrup, flour, and some chicken wings." He said as she joined him in the kitchen. "Tonight, we're having one of the best meals that anyone could ever have, that doesn't involve macaroni and cheese."

"And what would that be?" Diana asked.

"Chicken and Waffles."

Clark fried the chicken and made the waffles, and they ate dinner while watching TV. They talked briefly about their days, Diana about her talk with Zatanna and her apparent interest in John Henry. Clark about Lois' decision. Other than that conversation was sporadic at best, Diana was trying to figure out how to bring up the intimacy had been racing through her mind. She couldn't tell if he was purposely avoiding it, but she knew it was on his mind as well, instead of addressing the elephant in the room he just went on and on about how much he loved chicken and waffles.

Clark's phone rang. "I'm not here!" Clark complained before answering.

"Who is it?" Diana asked.

"Bruce." He answered the call. "Hello? Alfred, what's up?...He did what?... Really?... Alright we'll be right there." Clark hung up the phone laughing.

"What's going on?" Diana asked.

"We need to get to Gotham. This is too funny."

During the flight to Gotham, Clark could barely contain himself explaining the situation to Diana. Once she figured out the story, she had a hard time keeping herself together. By the time they reached the underground entrance to the Batcave they had regained their composure, but the second they were greeted by Alfred they burst out laughing again, and Alfred joined them.

* * *

The Batman sat in the shadows of on the top of a high rise business building in downtown Gotham. He was in an awful mood, he needed to ask for help, something he hated to do. He asked for the kind of help he'd only trust Clark or Diana with, because he knew they'd be discreet. Unfortunately when they were alone, they would never let him hear the end of this one. This was the first night he'd gone on patrol in a week. He got tired of being babysat by a super powered leaguer, so he decided to take a break, tonight he told the tower he was staying in again, but went out anyway. Now he was stuck here.

"We brought your hog!" Batman heard the familiar man's voice from behind him. He turned startled, hating that they were able to sneak up on him. Sitting on the batcycle were Superman and Wonder Woman. Just by looking at them he knew he'd never live this one down. Superman sat on the bike gripping the handlebars while Wonder Woman sat behind him with her arms wrapped around his neck, and her head resting on his shoulder. They both had big grins on their faces.

"What happened?" Diana asked, she clearly knew what happened, but was taking the opportunity to needle him.

"You know what happened." The Batman answered gruffly.

"No we don't." Clark said innocently, getting only the famous 'Batman staredown' as a response. Not one to be intimidated by that look Clark continued on. "I have no idea why Alfred wanted us to bring you the batcycle. I have no idea why it was so important that only me and Diana can know about it."

"You have to say it." Diana announced. "Otherwise we won't put the bike on the street."

Batman sighed angrily, and mumbled an unintelligible sentence.

"I heard you, but I'm sure Diana didn't. Say it so humans can understand it."

"Catwoman stole the Batmobile." He repeated through gritted teeth.

Clark and Diana paused for a moment with straight faces, but then cracked up again.

"What is it with Catwoman?" Clark asked. "Because you just go to pieces whenever she's around."

"Just put the damn bike on the ground and get out of here!" The Batman demanded.

"Well someone's a little cranky." Diana chortled.

"Why don't you just let her keep it for a while, she'll bring it back." Clark suggested.

"Damnit Kent!"

"You just have no sense of humor." Clark said dryly. He and Diana got off the bike, and he lifted it up over his head, then jumped off the roof with it. Before Batman could use his cable-gun to zip down to the ground Diana picked him up and floated him down. Granted the situation wasn't life threatening, Batman hated to be flown, by either Clark or Diana, but today it was much worse than normal.

On the ground the Batman didn't say a word, he just jumped on the Batcycle and rode off quickly.

"You're welcome!" Diana called as he sped away.

"That was fun." Clark observed.

"Very."

* * *

Back in Metropolis, Clark figured there was nothing else to do but go to bed. Diana followed him home, and when she changed into another very revealing nightgown he realized she was planning to stay. He changed into his usual sleepwear, but stood at the foot of the bed awkwardly.

"What is it this time?" Diana asked.

"Can we switch sides? It'll make me feel better."

"Whatever Clark." Diana relented, climbing into bed on the opposite side she was in last night.

"This is much better." He admitted.

"You like that side better?"

"Not really, I prefer the middle, but at least with the flipping of the sides I feel a little more in balance." He said as he settled in.

"Okay." She said dismissively. Diana became concerned about his need for balance, since she pointed it out to him he complained about it all the time. It was beginning to get annoying.

Diana laid in bed next to Clark, but didn't move close to him. If he came to her she wouldn't shy away, but she was punishing herself. She was punishing herself for not having the courage to bring up the sex talk she'd been thinking about all day. She meant to bring it up several times throughout the night, but chickened out each time. She felt she didn't deserve to cuddle, so she just concentrated on sleep.

Several hours later Clark got up to get himself a glass of water. He stood at his kitchen counter drinking, and scanning the apartment. Diana was there alone for much of the day, he was looking to see if she moved anything.

Then he saw it, in his closet. He almost missed it, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him. But inspecting further by going back into his room he saw a sight that scared him half to death.

She put her clothes in his closet.

"What the hell!"


	21. Chapter 21

"Diana what is this?" Clark shook her awake. Looking very agitated.

"It's my dress." Diana woke up staring at her green dress, the one she wore the night they went dancing.

"Yeah, but why is it in my closet?"

"I put it there."

"Why?"

"I was planning on spending some time here with you, I figured it would be easier if I had a few items of clothing here as well. Then you could leave some things at my place, that way we won't have to rush back home when we need to go somewhere."

"Rush back home? It takes eight seconds to get from one place to another. You take two seconds to change clothes. Why the hell do you need clothes in my closet?"

Diana was fully awake now. If he wanted a fight, he'd get a fight. "Gods Clark what is it with you and your damn symmetry?"

"Symmetry?"

"Yes it is! I did this because I wanted to be closer to you. I want to spend more time with you, but you can't get over the fact that everything in your house isn't perfect! Do I even matter to you?"

"Before you said anything, I didn't even notice all this." He haphazardly waved his hands to indicate the furniture placement. "I never gave it a single thought. 27 years of smooth sailing, then all of a sudden 'Hey Clark you're obsessive compulsive'. So now I can't stop thinking about it, the whole damn world is out of balance and it drives me nuts. Then to have you come in here and ruin the calm that I have created."

"Oh so now you're blaming me?"

"I'm not blaming you, it's just the way it is. But symmetry, balance, and whatever, actually that's not even the problem, I can push my chairs back into alignment, and push my suits back the way the were, no big deal. But keeping your clothes here is freaking me out."

"Why? You don't want to get closer to me?"

"No, because you didn't ask me. We just go from whatever it is we're doing, to you trying to move in? What is this?"

"I never said I wanted to move in!"

"Then what the hell is this?"

"I didn't think you'd react like this. I thought you'd be smart and reasonable, I thought you would be happy about it. But I was clearly wrong there!" Diana was furious now, here she made a move to get closer, and he had the nerve to get angry about it. "I never thought you would be this selfish. I never thought you'd be such a jackass!"

"Yup that's me. Clark Kent, mild mannered jackass!"

Diana didn't know what to do. She never felt so angry at him before. All the times he teased her or made jokes at her expense were nothing compared to this. She felt rejected, pushed away just as she was getting close to what she wanted.

So she shoved him, hard. He was able to slow himself enough to keep from going all the way through the wall, but the impact did break the sheetrock. She started to gather her things and leave, but before she got to the closet he shoved her back. Not nearly as hard as she did him, but hard enough to show he wasn't going to back down. She started swinging wildly, her technique was totally gone. She was throwing girl punches, hitting him with the bottom of her fists.

Clark didn't really fight back, he just did the best he could to slap her hands away. He was surprised at himself for shoving her in the first place, whatever part of his brain that told him to do that was sure regretting it now. She wrestled him to the floor and was not letting up. Luckily for him, in her frustration she abandoned all of her combat training. He was eventually able to get a hold of her arms to pin them at her sides.

At that moment Diana didn't know what came over her, but she didn't want to hurt him anymore. She stopped trying to punch him. She just sat on top of him while he held her back, staring into his eyes, trying to burn her anger into him. She wanted something else, she wanted to punish him somehow. She wanted...

Diana was now kissing him, passionate, brutal, torturing kisses that demanded an equal response from him. Here she was, straddling him at the waist, arms on either side of his head holding him down with her kiss. He pulled her close, chest to chest, arms around her waist. He pulled her hair out of the ponytail she had it in, and flipped her over.

There she was, laying underneath him now smiling, hair everywhere, exactly the way he wanted her. She was so beautiful, and she wanted him too. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held tight, holding him with her hands on either side of his face. She was ready, he could feel it, her body was calling for him.

Her body was telling her yes, but her mind was screaming no. It was what she wanted, but not how she wanted it. She didn't want her first time to be after a fight, she wanted a romantic night filled with love and tenderness. He felt damn good, she had to stop now before she gave in. She could see the rings of red in his irises, he would be lost soon too.

"Clark, wait." She demanded breathlessly.

It pained him to pull away, but he did as she asked.

"We need to talk."

There they were, the worst four words in the history of relationships, 'we need to talk'. It was time for action, what could there be to talk about? Clark was going to have to take a swim in ice water to deal with this.

"Clark, I want to make love with you. But not like this. We need to stop."

Clark responded by standing and holding out a hand to help her up, which she took.

"I'm sorry. I should not have pushed you like that." She continued.

He still didn't say anything, he didn't even look at her he just sat at the foot of the bed with a defeated look on his face.

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

"The clothes in the closet, it's too much. I like having you around, and you're welcome to stay here from time to time, but keeping stuff here... I can't deal with that right now."

"Don't you think you're being irrational?"

"I'm sure I am, but this is the way I need it to be."

"Ok fine. I won't leave them then." She didn't like it, but she agreed. "Can we just go back to sleep?"

"Fine."

Diana climbed back into the bed, thinking Clark would join her, but first he went to a chest of drawers and put on a t-shirt. Without a word he laid down and turned his back to her. They laid that way for the rest of the night, no speaking, no touching.

Diana was upset at herself. Thinking she ruined everything, she wasn't even sure why he got so upset. They were just clothes, why couldn't he deal with it? He just got angry, no warning, no buildup, just unfiltered anger. It was so confusing, not wanting her in his home felt like a rejection, but then his kisses were so full of passion, what were the true feelings? She wondered how she would go about finding them.

Clark inwardly kicked himself, he was a total idiot. None of that was justified, all he had to do was tell her the truth, he didn't want her clothes here, he didn't want her to move in. She would understand. That's why he liked her so much, she understood things, which allowed her to be so forgiving. Just by staying, he knew she forgave him for acting a fool just now. Either that or she was just punishing him again, getting him all hot and bothered just to stop things just as they were getting good. Still, either way, he was still an idiot.

* * *

An empty bed and broken drywall, was what greeted Diana when she awoke. The sun was just beginning to rise, he'd left early. She wanted to speak with him before he left, hoping to be stirred awake when he got up for work. She felt lost and alone, without a clue where to turn. She couldn't go to her mother, her sisters or even Kara, they wouldn't understand. She couldn't go to the Kents, as they couldn't be relied on to fix her problems. And it was certainly nobody in the Justice League's business. But she need to talk to someone, someone who could relate, but still be somewhat impartial. If she could only figure out who.

Clark finagled his way into getting half the day off. The earliest interview he could get for the assignment Perry had given him was next Wednesday. Barring an emergency he had nothing to do for the day. So he just took a drive. He took the car because he needed to get a new panel of drywall, and the other tools he needed to patch the hole he made last night, but he hadn't gotten it or gone back home because he wasn't sure what Diana was doing. He wasn't ready to face her yet, and hadn't figured out what he wanted to say when he did.

He switched on the radio, tired of hearing the voice in his head call him stupid. He switched around before finding something soothing. 'I'd Rather Be With You' by Terry Callier was the song, it was something his parents would probably enjoy. He just allowed the music to transport him to a simpler place. As the song progressed he regretted staying on this station, the lyrics were starting to get to him.

I could catch that old greyhound head up north and bum around

Watch the sun set on the San Francisco Bay

But you mean so much to me I could never put you down

That would be too big a price for me to pay

Cause you made my dream come true and gave my life new meaning too

And more than anything

I'd rather be with you

He knew he had to apologize and explain the situation to Diana long before he heard the song, but the words spelled it out for him quite plainly. He'd rather be with her, he needed to find a way to deal with this before it grew into a much bigger problem.

* * *

Shannon sat across her kitchen table listening attentively as Diana gave her an edited version of her fight with Clark last night. She was shocked at some parts and laughed at others, both of which thoroughly confused Diana, even more than she already was.

"I ruined everything didn't I?" Diana sulked after finishing the story.

"I don't think so." Shannon replied.

"You don't?" Diana asked skeptically.

"No. He just freaked out, guys do that."

"So he's really ok with me keeping my things there?"

"No. There's a reason we call it personal space, and as you said, he likes things organized a specific way. How would you feel if he started rearranging your apartment to the way he likes it?"

"I wouldn't like it." Diana admitted.

"Exactly, that's how he felt, he just didn't know how to express himself. That's what makes men so complicated. They hold everything in, and then it explodes, leaving us to pick up the pieces."

"So what should I do?"

"Unless you want him to stay mad, you should move your things out."

"Oh." Diana pondered. "It just made so much sense at the time."

"Yes Diana, it made perfect logical sense. But you have to realize that although they claim to be, men are not logical creatures. They're stupid, impulsive, aggressive and terrified of commitment."

Diana wasn't sure she agreed with that, Clark was logical, on a genetic level, but then again his genetics were Kryptonian. "So what is wrong with us for wanting to love them?" Diana asked half joking.

"That's a good question Diana." Shannon answered with a laugh. "It might be the sex, I need a man for that. But I don't need to tell you, with a big boy like Clark I'm sure you're set."

"No. We haven't... yet. I wanted to, but this whole thing has got me confused."

"Really?" Shannon was stunned. "You two did it with me in the other room, you can't be a vir... Wait! That's why you looked like you were having a panic attack that morning."

"Yes. Clark is my first boyfriend, and before him I never really had much interaction with boys. My mother always made me go to all girls schools." Diana had told Shannon about her schooling before, and the beauty of it was, technically, she didn't lie.

"Ok, so that explains the rookie move, and I wouldn't dwell on him freaking out, that's what guys do when things get too real."

"So I should just act like this never happened?" Diana queried.

"No, make him talk about it, get your feelings out there. If he really likes you he'll forgive you. If not, get yourself another man, looking like you do, you can have anyone you want."

Diana knew that based on looks alone she could have any man she wanted, but she was sure she only wanted Clark. "So why are you still single?" She asked.

"Because men are distracting, with work and school I don't have time for that. Don't get me wrong if someone comes along that makes it worth my while, I reserve the right to change my mind, but I'm not going to be swayed by good looks with no personality anymore. That's a bad road."

"I see."

"Diana can I ask you a favor?"

"You may."

"Do you think I could commission you to make me a dress or two? Yours just fit you perfectly, and I have an impossible time finding them to fit right."

"Oh sure. No problem at all."

"Great. You always look so elegant, maybe I could pick up an elegant guy if I dressed like you."

Diana didn't know what to say, she got hit on constantly when she was out if Clark wasn't around, and most of those guys were sleazy. Luckily Shannon didn't say anything more about it, after absently checking something on her phone.

"Oh look at that, Billionaire Bruce Wayne treats mystery girl to luxury shopping spree. I bet she can get clothes that fit with that kind of money." Shannon gets celebrity gossip news on her phone.

"Bruce Wayne? Does it have a picture of the girl?" Diana asked. She had a hunch who the woman was, and hoped she was wrong.

"Yeah, she's pretty but I don't know, she seems a little regular to get a guy with that kind of bread."

As Shannon handed her the phone Diana steeled herself for the picture, unfortunately she wasn't wrong about who the woman was. The paparazzi hadn't figured it out yet, but under the arm of Bruce Wayne was none other than Selina Kyle. Was this what he had to do to get his car back? Diana thanked the gods that the only issue Clark had was a little bit of commitment phobia and some OCD habits.

"She got him somehow." Diana tried to play it off as nothing, she had to stay neutral about the situation. It was a good thing only she and Clark knew that Selina Kyle was really Catwoman, because Bruce would probably have to quit the league if the others knew. She still couldn't figure out how he just completely lost it whenever Selina was around.

* * *

After watching several online videos of the process, Clark fixed the hole in the drywall and got it painted in no time. By the end of the day when the paint dried he figured no one would even be able to tell it was a patch job. He admired his work then went about putting the furniture back in it's proper place, making sure to keep everything from touching the wall for now. Then he scanned around the apartment, assuring everything was in proper order. Diana's clothes were gone as well. She hadn't tried to contact him at all today, he wasn't sure if he even expected her to. He figured if nothing else he'd see her at tonight's league meeting.

Diana returned home from her shopping trip with Shannon, she had an arm full of fabrics that they picked out for her to make a few dresses. needed to be at the watchtower in a few minutes, but hoped to catch up with Clark before that so she took the short flight to his apartment. She entered through the balcony door as usual. There were no lights on in the apartment, but she heard slow jazz music that sounded like it was coming from the bedroom, she followed it. She found him in laying in bed in full Superman garb with his eyes closed.

"I figure it would be very un Kryptionain of me to like jazz." He said without moving. "Everything is behind the rhythm, chaotic. Driven by emotion and devoid of logic. Kryptonians and Humans are drastically different in a lot of ways, it's a balancing act, and sometimes it's incredibly difficult."

"That's what makes you unique."

Clark smiled wryly. "We should probably get going."

"We should. But after, I want to talk."

"Alright."

* * *

The best part of the lack of attempted tyranny and destruction in the world was the short meetings. John and Hal caught a fugitive that had eluded the Lanterns for a short while, but nothing major. John got a tip, and Hal backed him up on the takedown. The most excitement anyone had on earth was Wally breaking up a chop shop.

"We need to stay sharp." Batman said near the end of the meeting. "Our next threat could come at any time. Everybody is getting lax in their training sessions. That's not good, the minute we think we've arrived is when it all hits the fan. Meeting over."

The Batman exited the meeting room swiftly, planning on avoiding anyone who wanted to ask him about today's shopping trip in the city. Unfortunately he was cornered by the two people who knew more than everyone else did.

"She wanted my attention." Batman began before they could ask. "She claims to have information on the drug shipment and the people getting sick in the subways."

"They're connected?" Clark asked.

"Seems that way."

"Anything else in those underground tunnels?"

"Not yet."

"Bruce, I just don't get it. What is it about her?" Diana questioned.

She only received a look from the Batman, a look she came to recognize as 'What are you talking about?'

"You won't even consider backing down from fighting giants like Bane or Killer Croc but you just completely lose your marbles over 100 pounds of Selina Kyle."

"She's more than 100 pounds." Clark joked, causing Diana to slap him on the back of the head.

"Hmph." Was the only response the Batman had. It was about as close to a laugh as the Batman would ever give, but for Clark and Diana it said a lot. It said that today may have been more than just fishing for information. Batman turned and walked away without another sound.

"Him and Selina? I'm not sure that's the healthiest relationship." Clark observed quietly.

"And you're an expert?" Diana retorted. "He's right about one thing. We have been lax in our training. Let's go to the fortress, we can work some stuff out."

"Alright." Clark said dryly, knowing what was next.

* * *

Clark figured he deserved the ass kicking he was receiving from Diana. She wasn't letting up, using every martial art she knew to keep him at bay. He felt he was gaining some ground until she switched to Brazilian Capoeira, a fighting style disguised as a dance. It always looked awesome in the movies, but he was never sure how effective it would be in a real fight until now. After a spinning handstand kick to his head, he was completely sure it was solid technique.

Diana had been going full tilt for over an hour now, and was showing no signs of tiring. She had however worked up a good sweat, and was enjoying beating the crap out of Clark, even more than she usually did. She wouldn't go much longer, but wanted to get a few more good hits.

Diana was a warrior angel, the spins, the flips, the nearly unblockable kicks, she was elegant in her assault. The ability to go from sweet, soft woman to a battle hardened warrior princess at the snap of a finger made her all the more intriguing. He could watch her do this all day, but after another knockdown blow he wanted to stop being her training dummy.

"You know, you're cute when you're helpless." She said to him as he rolled over on the floor.

"Does that mean you're finished?"

"Yes."

"Oh goody."

"I took my things out of your apartment." She said dryly.

"I saw." He stood up, but didn't look at her. "And I fixed the wall."

Diana crossed her arms and stared at the floor. "I'm willing to admit that I may have been wrong."

"I definitely overreacted."

"So did I. I should have said something first. I didn't consider that you might not be accepting of what I did. I realize now that because we're together every decision each one of us makes affects the other."

"I suppose that means we need to communicate better." He observed.

"I suppose."

"So there it is."

"There it is then." She suddenly turned to him. "Only I don't want to go back to the way it was. I wanted us to be closer, and I still do. I think you know what that means."

"I have an idea. You just keep picking me up and dropping me."

"I know, and that's not my intention. I just..."

"Listen, it's fine." He took her by the hands. "When you're ready, it'll happen. I'm not trying to pressure you into anything."

Diana wanted to talk about it, get everything out into the open, expectations, wants, and needs, but he didn't seem to.

"Well I'm going to go get a shower, I smell like I got beat up by a girl."

Diana laughed triumphantly. "Will you meet me at my apartment later?"

"Sure. No problem."

After he saw Diana out of the fortress he flew towards his living area where his shower was housed. He suddenly felt bad for not offering to let her stay here, he remembered she didn't like the shower in her apartment. She told him so the last time they had a sparring session here in the fortress, which now seemed like a long time ago. Then he also remembered something else from that day, he suddenly had a great idea for a gift to give to her. After his shower he'd get started on it.

* * *

"You're such a coward." Diana berated herself in the mirror image as she waited for her shower to heat up. "There you were, blood pumping and ready to go and you chickened out again. You should just go buy a litter of cats and get it over with."

Diana stepped into the shower and let the hot water run across her face. One thing Themyscira didn't have was hot showers, as much as she loved the bath houses back home she surely liked a nice shower from time to time. If only this tub and shower were a little bigger she could really enjoy it.

As she washed with a special soap made by Epione, she kept her ears trained on the rest of the apartment, waiting for Clark to arrive. She had to admit to herself that part of her wanted him to arrive before she finished. Perhaps if he walked in on her it would solve the problem she kept having. That part of her mind then conjured up an image of Clark here with her, and it was his hands that were massaging her skin instead of her own.

It was late when Clark finally arrived, his work in the fortress had given him some time to think. He had came up with what he thought to be a reasonable solution to this most recent situation with Diana, and he hoped she'd be receptive. However that wouldn't happen tonight, as she was sound asleep. But she did leave a space for him in the bed next to her, which he took.

"Goodnight Diana." He said softly.

Diana woke up feeling something moving in her bed, she turned quickly with her hands up, ready for anything.

"Oh it's you!" She said, realizing it was just Clark. "I didn't know you came in. Why didn't you say anything?"

"It was late and you were sleeping. I assumed that this area of the bed was for me, since you were all the way over there. Did I assume wrong?"

"No, it's fine. You're welcome here."

"As you are at my place. And speaking of which, I think I have a solution to my closet issue." Clark bent over to pick up several items placed on the floor in front of the closet. With a silly smile, he held up two small, identical black bags.

"Two really small bags?"

"Not just any bags, your bags." He said like an announcer in a bad commercial. "To be filled with personal items that you may keep at my apartment. I've already got a spot for them picked out. I suppose it's an inconvenience going back and forth, so... compromise."

It wasn't ideal, but at least he was trying. "Alright." She said with a light laugh. When did you get here? I waited half the night but you never came."

"It was pretty late, I was working on something at the fortress."

"You're going to work now aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"I don't suppose I could convince you to stay here with me could I?"

"I'd like nothing more than to stay, but I need to be in the office today."

"Oh." That was disappointing. "Call me when you're coming home."

"No problem."

After Clark left Diana fell back onto the bed, and breathed heavily.

"Tonight." She whispered softly. "Tonight."


	22. Chapter 22

Clark's assignment wasn't able to get done for a few more days, so in the interim Perry told him to assist Lois with her story. He hadn't been paying attention to what she'd been working on lately so he needed to be caught up to speed. Unfortunately Lois wasn't cooperating.

"You don't want to tell me what's going on do you?" Clark asked.

"It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's that I don't want you trying to steal my story." Lois answered curtly.

"When has it ever been in my in my character to steal stories from you?" Clark feigned innocence. In actuality he had stolen a few from her, as retribution from her doing the same to him.

"Don't even go there Smallville." She demanded as Clark laughed.

"Can you at least fill me in on what you have so far?"

"Due to public support, the state fair is returning to Metropolis. With all the glory of the old days. All the rides, all the games, and twice as many food stands."

"Really? It's coming back? I knew there were people who protested the decision to move it in the first place. I know they were trying to get it back, but I didn't know if they had enough support."

"It starts today. How could you not have known about it? I figured you'd be all ready to take your girlfriend."

"It starts today? Where have I been?"

"Yeah Smallville, where have you been? Come on, let's go."

* * *

For decades the State Fair used to be one of the highlights of a Metropolis summer. More recently however, high profile incidents requiring Superman's assistance caused city and state officials to move the fair to another city. It was an unpopular decision with many within the city, but the out of towners convinced the Governor to step in to get it moved.

Clark and Lois caught a taxi to the fairgrounds. It was before 10AM so the fair wasn't particularly full yet. There were rides, games and food stands set up across the entire grounds Clark was shocked, that he didn't notice this beforehand. He saw in his flights through the city that there had been crews setting up equipment in the area but hadn't realized what they were doing. He hadn't even heard or seen any type of advertisement about it's return either. Diana must really be occupying his attention, because it seemed unlike him to not have any idea what was going on around town. He followed Lois who seemed to be on a mission, but let his eyes wander. The sights brought back memories of the Smallville County fair he attended as a child. Of course it was not nearly as ornate as this, but they were fond memories. Early times spent with his parents, then later on with Lana.

"You know, I think I'm going to bring Diana down here before this thing is over." Clark said, looking toward Lois, who was nowhere in sight. He looked around bewildered that she could just disappear like that.

"You lost your lady?" A man said, who was working at a pizza stand, a few steps from where Clark was left scratching his head.

"Something like that." Clark answered. "One minute she was here, the next just; poof. Gone."

It wouldn't be that hard to find Lois if he wanted to. Over the years he'd gotten quite adept at finding her in crowds much bigger than this one. However this wasn't one of those times where she needed help. She indicated during the ride over that she wanted to speak with some of the backers for this years events, Clark assumed she left to do just that. He was just tagging along because he didn't have anything else to do. Figuring to get a few comments from workers and patrons of the fair to share with Lois for her final write up.

Two years ago, the last time the fair was in Metropolis, when Baron Sunday decided he wanted to challenge Superman in front of a crowd. Sunday's voodoo magic gave Superman fits, as it always did before being defeated. Thinking back, Clark wished Diana was around at that time, her resistance to magic could have helped him out tremendously. The year before that, Solomon Grundy barreled through the ferris wheel, and injured about 40 people, before Superman could stop him. After those events, the fair was moved to another city and went on without incident. Clark walked around aimlessly while the fairgrounds began to fill with more and more people, he briefly wondered what Lois was doing before deciding to go find a vendor selling barbecue.

* * *

What Lois didn't tell Clark was that she suspected the fair was being financed by some shady characters. One of her sources filled her in that this fair was actually a front for some serious illegal operations. She wasn't looking to get an interview, she was looking to find proof of any dirty dealings. Her source told her where the donors were meeting, in a small temporary building on the outskirts of the fairgrounds, close to the water. That's where she was going, this would be a big time scandal, and a big time story, the biggest in quite some time for her. There was no way she was going to let Clark anywhere near this one.

She huddled up next to a window on the steel sided temporary building, and peeked inside. There were several men sitting around a table, talking low. They weren't the financial backers she was looking for, as she didn't recognize anyone there. There were two average sized men, who looked rather intimidated sitting at the table. With their backs turned to the window there were two other men, one looked very large and muscular, wearing a black pinstripe suit with a fedora hat, and another man who looked sickly skinny. She tried to listen in, but couldn't hear everything, and had missed some important parts of the conversation already.

"We don't have anything close to what we planned. The Bat took down damn near our whole shipment." One of the intimidated men said.

Lois assumed they were talking about drugs, it was common knowledge the Batman intercepted a massive shipment some time ago. She wondered why they were trying to get back into Metropolis. Superman had all but ended the organized drug trade in the entire city. All that remained were low level street dealers from out of town, many of which couldn't elude police for very long.

"That's not my problem, we had a deal, you're going to put your entire stash on the streets. Metropolis is an untapped market, think of the money you could make." Said the skinny man.

"You know why we stopped dealing in Metropolis. Superman can be in 20 places at once." Said the other intimidated man.

"I don't care. Let's go." The skinny man said to the muscular one, and they all stood up to leave. They got to the door quicker than Lois could get away, she was sure they'd spotted her.

* * *

There was a total of 12 barbecue stands in the fair, and Clark was on a mission to sample all of them. He was headed towards stand #3 when he spotted a familiar face. Ahead of him, on the other side of the walkway going in the other direction was none other than Bruce Wayne. This wasn't business Bruce, and definitely not Batman, this was Bruce in disguise. With a high quality fake goatee and mustache, and a pair of thick hipster glasses, nearly identical to Clark's, probably worn as an insult to Clark. And of course he didn't miss Bruce's arm candy, Selina Kyle who seemed to be draped all over him, as if he'd spontaneously combust if she didn't remain in constant physical contact.

Bruce saw Clark, and saw that Clark saw him back. Because of Selina, secrets needed to be kept, so Bruce simply acknowledged Clark with a mere head nod. Which Clark returned.

Clark knew Bruce's head nod meant something, the fact that he was in Metropolis meant something. He would only be here if he had a reason. The fact that Selina was with him made it even more obvious. It was she who discovered that the Batman's big drug bust and the Gotham subway illnesses were connected. Them both being in town had to mean that someone in Metropolis had their hands in all of that. Clark immediately thought about Lois, and her habit of getting in the center of trouble. His gut was telling him she'd just done it again. Clark hurriedly left the fairgrounds in search for a secluded spot for a change of clothes.

* * *

Clark discovered at a young age that heartbeats are very distinctive. A well attuned ear can distinguish one heartbeat from another, as easy as picking out a singular voice in a crowd. Even from a mile in the sky, Lois was easy to locate, he was so enchanted with her when they first met he learned the sound of her heart immediately.

First he heard her, then he saw her. Whoever she was looking for, she found them, and they weren't happy about it. Two men were pointing pistols fitted with suppressors at her, and two others, a big man and a much smaller man appeared to be exiting the premises quickly. He'd fill Bruce in on those two, Lois was the priority.

Lois had gotten herself caught, again. This was exactly what she wanted to stop doing, getting into situations she couldn't get herself out of. This was what prompted her to consider motherhood, as it would force her to make smarter decisions about her safety. She silently begged for someone to save her, knowing that there was only a 6 pound trigger pull between a long life, and a hollowpoint in the chest.

"Dammit! You know who that is don't you?" One of the gunmen asked.

Her reputation preceded her, everyone knew that she was basically Superman's exclusive press writer. However, she didn't like it when strange men pointed guns at her, even if she thought Superman was around.

"What should we do?" Asked the other.

"Nothing." Said a deep commanding voice, accompanied by a strong gust of wind.

Suddenly both men realized that they were no longer holding functional weapons. They each stared confused at what was left. Superman had taken their magazines, suppressors and slide assemblies. They were left only with the remaining plastic grips, which were both cracked, rendering them useless.

The two men, turned to run away, Superman moved to follow them but was stopped by Lois.

"Oh thank you Superman! Thank you so much." She jumped into his arms, and hugged him.

"You're welcome. You always are."

"I just stopped you from catching those guys didn't I?" Lois asked sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine, I'll get them at some point. I never forget a face." The two men hadn't gotten very far, but he decided to stay with Lois for now.

"I guess you wouldn't." Lois was now giggling like a schoolgirl. It was completely unlike her, even when in the presence of Superman. "Superman can I ask you something?"

"You may?" He could guess what she was going to ask.

"Would you ever consider being a sperm donor for me?"

He was spot on with his guess, in fact he was pretty sure she was considering asking Clark the same question. Which is why he nixed that idea before she had the opportunity. This time he acted surprised that she would ask such a thing. "I'm sorry Lois, but I don't even think that's possible."

"Of course! Hey, it's cool. Just... covering my bases." Lois said awkwardly. "I figured you'd say that. I thought I'd ask on the off chance you'd say yes. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

"Have a good day Lois, stay safe." Superman said while slowly rising from the ground.

"You too Superman!" Lois waved, but he was gone. "That was mortifying... And he probably heard me say that."

Superman looked back and watched Lois sulk back towards the people gathered to have fun. Chuckling softly at her statement, of course he'd heard her. He quickly zipped back to change his clothes back to Clark Kent's.

* * *

Lois figured she knew Clark pretty well, they'd known each other for quite a while. Using that information she began to make an educated guess to where he was.

"If I were Clark Kent, where would I be? Let me think, I don't have any work to do, and I'm at a fair, alone." Lois looked around, there were far more people than when they first arrived. Of course she could just call him, but where was the fun in that? This way she could test her detective skills, if she became a mother she'd have to find a wandering child at some point anyway. Clark was like a little boy sometimes, this would be as good a place to start as any. She looked around at the rides and the games. None of which would be of much interest to him, the she saw something that would pull him in. "Of course. He's eating."

* * *

Clark was tasting an incredibly dry pork rib when Lois finally spotted him. Of course he knew where she was the whole time but was surprised it took her this long to find him again. He wondered why she didn't just call.

"Clark you wouldn't just believe what just happened to me." Lois exclaimed.

"You fell off the edge of the earth?" Clark joked.

Lois hated it when Clark turned into a smartass. Which he had a habit of doing when she was most stressed out. "What are you drunk on barbecue sauce?"

"Not on these." Clark said holding up a rib. "This is like the Sahara of ribs."

"What? Whatever Clark no, I didn't fall off the edge of the earth, I got held at gunpoint again."

"Again? What happened?" Clark acted concerned. "How did you get away?"

"Superman, again." Lois said dryly.

"That figures." Clark looked up and searched the sky as if he was looking for Superman. "You know it's really convenient that he's always around when you need him."

"I know, can we get out of here?" Lois asked.

* * *

Hours later, Clark was glad to finally be finished with work. It was a good thing he didn't have any serious deadlines coming up, because his mind was definitely not where it should have been all day. When he left this morning he could have sworn he heard Diana whisper the word 'tonight'. He fought himself all day not to think about what that could mean. Now that he was free for the night, he was better able to relax.

Diana spent a restless and frustrating day alone in her apartment. She came to a decision last night, and wanted desperately to tell someone about it. She hoped to get in touch with Shannon before Clark got home but she was busy with school and then work. And unfortunately Shannon was the only person Diana trusted to tell, so she was forced to be silent about it. She had spent the last hour or so trying on different outfits, looking for the best one for tonight. She wanted to feel beautiful, yet still be comfortable, she had narrowed her decision down to two dresses when her phone rang.

Diana turned and looked at the phone on her bed, the caller ID picture was of Clark. Her heart raced and her mood lifted immediately. She gracefully leaped across the bed to grab the phone.

"Hey you!" She answered excitedly.

"Hey yourself." Clark responded.

"Are you finally off work?"

"Yep, I'm headed home now. You said you wanted me to call when I was doing so. So, I'm calling."

"Great. Listen, pick up some dinner and then I'll meet you at your apartment."

"Alright, what do you want?"

"Something light, something green."

"Alright I can do that. I'll see you in about 20."

"Okay, bye Clark."

After hanging up, Diana quickly turned her attention back to the closet, she didn't have long to choose now.

* * *

Clark entered his apartment to find Diana already there waiting for him. She looked stunning in a short red strapless dress that showed off a tempting length of leg. And high heels that accentuated her perfectly defined calf muscles. She also wore a dazzling smile on her lips. Lips that he wanted to press against his own.

"Hi Clark."

"Hello Diana."

Clark crossed the room to give her a quick kiss to her before placing the bags of food on the counter.

"What's with the dress? Is there some special occasion that I'm not aware of?" Clark asked.

"No, I just wanted to look pretty."

"You're more than pretty." Clark said as his eyes roamed up and down her frame. "Give me a second, and then we can eat."

Clark disappeared into his bedroom for a second, then reappeared just to go into another room, the same one her mother slept in when she was here. Diana wondered what he could be doing in there. But his exit did give Diana a short while to collect her thoughts, she took a deep breath and did a silent mantra to make sure she wouldn't back down from her plans for the evening.

Clark used his extra room for storage, for things he didn't use very often or didn't have a place in the decor of the home. He went into a large trunk where he kept his high end dinnerware. He selected plates, crystal wine glasses, cloth napkins and the proper cutlery for two place settings. Before returning to Diana he also picked up a glass candle holder and two candles.

"What's that?" Diana asked as Clark returned. He removed his glasses, but she was glad that he hadn't changed out of his gray business suit.

"This my high quality china. That I pull out only... never."

"Never?"

"This is the first time I've used any of this stuff. It was a Christmas gift from my parents a long time ago. I figured since you were dressed so nicely, this is as good a time as any to pull it out."

He began moving the grilled shrimp salad from the styrofoam takeout containers onto the plates. Then took a bottle of chardonnay from his pantry and filled each glass.

"I can help with the place settings." Diana said, taking the napkins and cutlery from him and placing it on the square glass table in the open area designated as the dining room. Clark brought the plates, in one trip and the wine and glasses the next.

"Aren't the knife and fork supposed to be switched?" Clark asked as he sat down, lighting the candles with his eyes.

"No." Diana said bluntly.

"Are you sure?" He really couldn't remember, most of the places he ate had everything wrapped in a paper napkin.

"I'm very sure. Clark, I've been to enough high end restaurants to know this."

Clark stared at his plate, framed by the silverware on either side. "This doesn't seem right. But I'll take your word for it."

"Good. So how was your day at work?"

"Not bad, I don't have any hard deadlines coming up so it's pretty much smooth sailing for now. Except Superman made a brief appearance."

"Oh?"

"Yep. In classic fashion I rescued Lois Lane."

"Again? I don't understand how she finds herself in so much trouble."

"Neither do I."

"So what happened?"

"The state fair, she was there to try and speak with the financial backers of it's return to Metropolis. Unfortunately she stumbled upon some less than noble characters."

"The state fair? I know about that. Shannon suggested you take me."

"We can go. No problem."

"Ok." Diana smiled. "So did anything else happen?"

"Not really. Bruce was there though, with Selina. So something might be going down soon."

"Why would Bruce be in Metropolis? Did he tell you anything beforehand?"

"No."

"Does he think that what's going on in Gotham has anything to do with the fair?"

"I don't know, I didn't actually speak to him. But enough about that. How was your day?"

"Okay I guess. I didn't do much of anything."

"That can be fun too."

"I don't know about that. I'm used to being busy. With the bracelet campaign going so well these days there's not much for me to do at the foundation."

"Really? I figured you were going there on a regular basis."

"No. It's set up so that I don't have to be there all the time. Usually I use that extra time for speeches and public appearances, but now, I'd rather spend that time with you." Diana smiled.

Conversation flowed casually while they finished their meal. Diana stared into Clark's eyes as she finished off the last of her wine, part of her wished she could feel the alcohol a little bit. It might give her more courage to continue.

"So, it's Friday night. We're young, we're dressed up, what should we get into tonight?" Clark asked. "You want to go dancing?"

"I do love dancing. But not tonight. Actually I had something planned for us." Diana stood.

"Oh?" Clark stood to join her, noticing that her heart rate increased rapidly as she stood.

Diana stepped close to Clark, taking his arms and placing them around her waist, then putting her own hands at his shoulders.

She took a deep breath before speaking. "Clark, I want to make love with you tonight."

Now it was Clark's heart rate that shot up. Subconsciously he'd been waiting to hear her say those words to him for over two years. He wanted to sprint to the bedroom with her in his arms, and make mad passionate love to her, but instead, he kept his cool.

He didn't say a word, instead relaying his intentions to her in the form of a soft kiss, which she returned eagerly, understanding his action.

When their mouths finally parted, Diana took him by the hand and led him towards his bedroom. She knew once she crossed that threshold there was no turning back. She would be going against everything her upbringing had taught her. Her Amazon sisters may never view her the same again. But confident in her decision, she continued on, this is her life, this is what she wanted, this is who she wanted it with.

They came to stand at the foot of the bed, Diana pushed the jacket off his shoulders, while Clark loosened his tie. Next Clark unbuttoned his shirt while while Diana unbuckled his belt, and removed it. She stared into his eyes while he removed his shirt, faint rings of red flashed in them, Diana came to interpret the red in his eyes as his desire for her. She loved the reaction she was able to get from him, her ability to affect him this way made her want to continue on.

She watched him kick off his shoes and remove his socks, but he made no move to remove his pants. At first Diana couldn't figure out why he wasn't continuing to undress, then it dawned on her that he wanted her to do it. Not out of some chauvinistic desire for her to do all the work, but to give her control, to give her the opportunity to change her mind. She wasn't going to do that, so she unbuttoned and unzipped his pants and dropped them to the floor, he now only had on a pair of black boxer briefs.

Clark had let Diana disrobe him, but now it was his turn. He had a long time to imagine this moment, and he was going to live out a few fantasies while the opportunity was at hand. He gently placed her into a sitting position on the bed, then knelt in front of her. He began kissing her thighs, each one back and forth, working his way down to her knees then her calves and ankles. Then he removed one of her shoes. Starting at the heel he slowly kissed his way from her soles to her toes, the back up the top of her foot. Then he repeated the process on her other foot... there had to be balance.

Diana hadn't expected him to linger at her feet, but she wasn't complaining. He felt good, everything he did felt right. Her body was hot, and it was his fault. As he began moving back up her legs she found her breathing was getting heavier. She leaned back when he began kissing her stomach through her dress, working his way up, to her chest and neck, but he stopped before kissing her lips again.

He picked Diana back up into a standing position, she put her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. His hands moved from her back to her hips to her behind, down to her thighs before disappearing under her dress. His fingers found the edges of her panties. Diana saw the look in his eyes as if he was asking her permission to remove them. With a slight nod of the head, she gave him the permission he sought, and her panties were slowly pulled down her legs and allowed to fall to the floor.

Diana watched Clark step back, and remove his briefs. She breathed heavy at the sight of him, then smiled in appreciation. His body was spectacular, she had seen many sculptures of all sorts of Gods in her life, but none of them came anywhere close to the Titan standing before her. She wasn't one bit surprised when he then smiled back at her, no doubt with a satisfied ego. Diana then reached behind her to remove her dress. Clark was holding his breath in anticipation, and she wasn't going to disappoint him. As the dress fell to her feet, she watched his eyes roam over her body drinking in the beautiful sight, lingering on her breasts and her womanhood. This wasn't the first time a man has looked at her with desire in his eyes, but it was the first time she was nude when one has. It was also the first time she liked it. Mixed with desire his eyes showed love, appreciation and tenderness.

Diana wore nothing but her Amazon bracelets and a smile. She was the most beautiful woman that had ever and would ever walk this on this earth. And she was there just for him, showing the utmost trust in him. A trust he would never betray. "You're beautiful." Clark said, finally able to speak.

"So are you." Diana whispered.

As Clark came to her Diana lifted slowly off the floor, motioning him to join her.

"Above the bed?" Clark asked softly.

"No." Diana answered. "Above the earth."

* * *

Even as the cold air whipped around their intertwined bodies, there was nothing between them but heat. Wrapped in only his cape, they arched across the sky, in an erotic embrace. They held each other tight, unable to get enough, in between the kisses were scratches, bites gasps and growls. For Diana it was the most intense and pleasurable experience in her entire life. The contrast of the cool air around her and the heat inside her sent her nerves in an intense frenzy. She couldn't control her breathing, or the cries of pleasure coming from her mouth. If she felt this way, it wouldn't be fair for him not to, so she gripped his shoulders, wrapped her legs around him, and gave back to him with all the strength she could muster.

Clark fought hard not to lose himself, Diana was incredible. Nothing could have prepared him for this experience, his senses were at their peak. The electricity within Diana drove him insane with need. She responded to him perfectly, keeping in rhythm with his rigorous pace, she accepted him without protest, and then demanded more. He had no intention of disappointing her either.

The two most powerful beings the world has ever known circled the globe over and over again. They lost count, and neither cared one bit. They held each other in an intimate embrace, unseen by all eyes both above and below. In each others arms they touched the power of perfection. They touched the unbreakable power of love.


	23. Chapter 23

Diana opened her eyes lazily, feeling absolutely fabulous. Soreness lingered in her entire body, not bad soreness like from an injury, but the good kind of soreness she got after an intense full body workout. Only much better!

Now if only she knew where she was. It was pitch black and she couldn't see anything. Nor could she tell what her body was doing, it felt almost like she was floating in the air, only she wasn't using the necessary power to keep herself above the ground. Shifting her body around she could feel that she was laying on something, but whatever it was felt extremely soft, almost as if it wasn't there. She felt around looking to see if Clark was near.

"Clark? Where are you?"

"Right here." Clark said.

Upon the sound of his voice the lights raised up to full power. It only took her eyes about half of a second to adjust to the light but that half second was quite jarring. Once her eyesight returned, she discovered that she was laying nude in some sort of silver colored bed, with Clark next to her. His red cape was bunched up at their feet, and was the only sort of sheet or clothing that was anywhere near them.

"Good morning. Sorry about the lights, they kind of work on their own."

"Are we in the fortress?" Diana asked, looking around at the unfamiliar room.

"Yes we are." Clark paused before continuing, adopting a concerned look on his face. "How do you feel?"

"I feel wonderful." Diana announced with a satisfied smile. "That was amazing."

"Yes it was." Clark rolled over to put his arms around her, she turned so that they were face to face, and put her arms around him. He still had that concerned look, and Diana knew why. He was still worried she had been hurt.

"Clark, don't worry." She rubbed his face with her hand. "You didn't hurt me, I loved every second of our night together. My question is: Did I hurt you?"

"Yes." Clark laughed. "But I liked it."

Diana laughed brightly at that. She was fully aware of now fading scratches on his back and bite mark on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about the scratches... and the bite. It was involuntary." Then she kissed him, with a big smile on her face.

"Right." Clark said as if he didn't believe her. "However I suppose it could be worse. It did end in me staring at the most beautiful sight I could ever imagine."

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Diana asked as he rolled to lay on top of her. Marveling at the sight of her underneath him, with love mussed hair.

"The most beautiful sight is just this. You, in my bed, with sex hair."

"Sex hair?" Diana asked bemused.

"Oh yeah. You remember when I told you l liked your hair messy?"

"Yes."

"This is why. This is what I imagined you would look like after a long night of lovemaking."

"A long night huh? I hope you don't think we're finished. You may find me more beautiful yet."

"Is that right?" He kissed her.

"That's right." She kissed him back.

After that. They stopped talking and went to work on each other.

* * *

Some time later, the actual time unknown to either of them, not that they cared, it was agreed a break was needed. They needed to get some food, and maybe a shower.

It was discovered that Clark's cloud like bed was not very conducive to lovemaking, it was far too soft to offer enough resistance for a proper coupling, so being the closest thing they could find, the floor filled in nicely. They were both laying on their backs, breathing heavily and sweating from exhaustion. Their lovemaking was like a heavyweight championship fight, it was scheduled for 12 rounds, and did not end early.

"We should probably stop." Diana said through heavy breaths. Her mind wanted to keep going, but her body wouldn't let her go another round without resting.

"We could use a shower." Clark breathing just as heavily as Diana.

"That sounds beautiful."

"Actually, I can do you one better. Follow me." Clark jumped up and headed toward the door. Diana moved to follow but immediately upon standing she fell back to the floor. "Woah! Are you alright?"

"My legs are like jelly. And it's all your fault big man." Diana called. Before using her power of flight to get up and steady herself. By now she was sure her legs worked again but wanted Clark to carry her. So she floated into his arms. "To the bathing chamber!" She demanded cheerfully, and Clark obliged.

As Clark carried her, Diana put her arms around his neck and kissed him over and over. "This has been the most fantastic night ever!"

"I agree."

"Hey where are we going? I thought your shower was somewhere else?" Diana finally looked around and realized she didn't recognize anything she was seeing. She knew she didn't know every part of the fortress, but had used the shower many times after training sessions, and this wasn't the way.

"We're going someplace special."

"Someplace special. Should I be excited?"

"Yes." Clark said as he came upon a door, and waved his hand in front of the sensor to open it. "It seems like a really long time ago now, but you once told me that you didn't like the tub or shower in your apartment, and that if I had a bathing pool here, things would be perfect. So, here you go."

Clark set her down and she marveled at the sight before her. It was a large room with two pools, one was rather small with enough room for maybe 4 people and had steam coming off it, and the other was fairly large, about 10 feet by 20 feet, and had a touchscreen computer terminal embedded in the floor about a foot from the edge of all sides of the pool. In the center of the large pool was a small but beautiful looking fountain, that was misting water in the air through glowing jets of assorted bright colors.

Diana walked to the edge of the larger pool and crouched down to access the computer, the screen, which was about a foot and a half wide wrapped around the entire pool, and could be accessed from any point in or out of it. She discovered that unlike the rest of the fortress, the computer language wasn't Kryptonian. It was in fact the same setup that was in the watchtower, which meant he must have built this for her.

"Clark you've been holding out on me! How long has this been here?" She asked, standing up and taking another look around.

"Just a couple of days, the other night after our sparring session I put this together." Actually, he only designed the room, after that the crystals did the work.

"That's why it took you so long to return to me."

"Yes."

"Clark this is wonderful! Thank you!" Diana rushed up and hugged him tightly. "Will you join me?"

"Of course. Why else would I show you this?" It was his original intention to show this off next time they sparred, and she would be alone, or at the very least they'd be clothed, but this was much better.

Diana leaped into the larger pool, then adjusted the temperature to match the hot springs that were on Themyscira. Clark followed soon after. "You know this is much bigger than the bathing pools on Themyscira, this is like a swimming pool."

"Well it basically is. Except this is self cleaning, and fully adjustable, and of course you've got a various assortment of soaps to choose from." Clark pointed to two cut out shelves on each side of the pool that looked like a swim up bar, each shelf was adorned with various bottles of soaps and body washes.

Diana swam over to one of them, and took one of the fancier bottles off the shelf and returned to Clark. "You do me, and I'll do you?" Diana asked.

"Sounds good to me."

Clark and Diana took turns slowly rubbing the contents of the bottle on each other, taking the time to carefully massage every inch of each other. The relaxed nature of the activity, gave them the perfect opportunity to talk.

"So, I have to say." Clark began. "Above the earth, that was a good call. I'm not sure my building would have made it through last night." Or the entire block for that matter.

"Well, I can't take full credit for the idea. You can thank my dreams for that."

"You dreams? Oh do tell."

Diana laughed before continuing. "It wasn't long after we met. Sometime after you convinced everyone that I wasn't some crazed supervillainess bent on destroying you. When I had a dream, about us, flying in the sky. You were kissing me, and I was enjoying it."

"Sounds good." He had no idea that even then he made such an impression on her.

"Not at the time it wasn't. I thought you put some sort of spell on me. I hated you for it, I hated myself for it. Looking back I find it funny."

"Funny how?" He asked, as he began massaging her shoulders and upper back.

"Funny that I was so afraid of something so beautiful. Even just a few days ago I was afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Losing control. Specifically you losing control. I know now that I was worried for nothing." Diana turned to face him. "I was concerned that you would lose control and be driven by animalistic desires."

Clark laughed. "That sounds more like you." He rubbed the spot just above his collarbone, the mark had long faded by now, but the memory was still fresh. Actually it wasn't so bad, she appeared to be at the peak of pleasure when she did it.

"Well, I am an Amazon." She joked, before becoming serious. "Although now I do better understand the pain my mother and sisters feel. To be with someone who doesn't have your utmost trust or consent. I could not imagine. It's why I'm so happy to have shared this experience with you."

Diana leaned up for a kiss, and more.

* * *

Phillipus sat at the table for her daily breakfast with the queen. Hippolyta had been in a funk since she returned from Man's World. She hadn't spoken about her experience yet, but the rumors were that she had on some level approved of Diana's choice to be with Clark. Phillipus wasn't sure though, she heard several stories ranging from Hippolyta attacking him, to her welcoming him with open arms, to catching he and Diana mid coitus, she desperately hoped the last story wasn't true, but she wanted to hear the story directly from the source, but so far there had been nothing.

She had tried to get the story from her queen for days now, and hoped this would be the day. "Hippolyta? Do you want to discuss your trip to the outside world?"

"Not particularly." Hippolyta said emotionless.

"I see." Phillipus wasn't pressing the issue, she'd ask once per day and that was it.

After a few minutes of silence Hippolyta finally spoke up, still devoid of any emotion. "I must allow it." She said of Diana's relationship.

"Is that wise?"

"I have no other choice. Diana has made up her mind. About many things."

"Many things? Surely you don't mean..."

"Yes. As our last meeting she had not lied with him yet. But she says she will."

Phillipus cringed slightly, that was a tidbit of information she wished she didn't know.

"And that was days ago, who knows what has happened between them since. That world is filled with sex, it is advertised on every street corner, it makes men hungry and women loose."

"It sounds awful."

"Believe me it is. I suppose if there is any consolation, Diana's man was raised in a strong family. His mother... would have made and excellent Amazon."

Phillipus lifted an eyebrow. Hippolyta had an interesting theory. Could an Amazon raise a boy into a noble man?

"And Diana has a strong influence in the world. There were many women wearing arm braces as we do. They wear them as a symbol of strength, that they will not be victims of violence and that they will stand together in times of need."

"Yes. I was told that she wanted the women there to wear them."

"There were even men who supported her cause."

"Really?" Phillipus was surprised.

"It makes me think, if Diana standing alone can make such a difference, what could a nation of Amazons do?"

"You mean reveal ourselves?"

"I'm considering it. Perhaps we have put too much on Diana's shoulders. My personal fears are what has kept us hidden all these years, but I am learning that I cannot live in the past."

"We live in peace here, is upsetting that balance a wise decision?"

"We have peace. But have we had healing? The scars run deep within all of us. Perhaps we have not done enough to heal them."

Phillipus just stared thoughtfully, she hadn't considered that.

"However if we do reveal ourselves, we cannot let Donna out of our sight for one moment. She's already asked about courting." Hippolyta state flatly.

Phillipus laughed. "That sounds like her. Always following her sister."

* * *

Diana lay content in bed with Clark spooned behind her. They had just had another love session in the bathing pool, displacing most of the water by the time they finished. Now they were back in Clark's cloud bed, dreading the upcoming Monday.

"For the record. Best weekend ever." Clark said.

"I couldn't agree more."

"You called me Superman."

"Yes."

"You've never done that before." Clark observed.

"Really?" Diana asked.

"At first you called me Kal-El."

"That's what you told me your name was."

"Then you shorten that to Kal, then it was Clark when we started dating. Before now you've never called me Superman."

Diana thought about for a second, he was right. She had said Superman before, but only when speaking about him, never to his face. "Well, you are a Superman."

That put a cocky smile on Clark's face.

* * *

Clark had the distinct feeling that today would be an awful day of work. Memories of Diana would haunt him all day. He had several missed calls and text messages from Lois, and he fully expected her to question him about it. On top of that he felt exhausted, he and Diana didn't get a whole lot of sleep over the past two days.

"Smallville! What was with you this weekend, why didn't you respond to me?" Lois demanded, stomping up to his desk. She had left him several voice messages and texts, that all went unanswered.

"I was busy."

"So? You can't respond to a text? What were you so busy doing?"

"You really want to know?" Clark asked skeptically.

"Yes. What could have been so important that it prevented you from calling me back for two whole days?"

"I spent the weekend with Diana and we..."

"Say no more!" Lois cut him off, throwing her hands in the air. "I don't want to know anything about you rolling in the hay. You and your... Wait that works."

"What works?"

"I was going to make a farm joke, but I already did."

"Oh. So what did you need?"

"Nothing. I got it taken care of. So, spending the weekend away, does that mean things are getting serious with you and Diana?"

Clark stared up at the ceiling pensively, then shrugged. "I guess you could say that."

Lois had kept her mouth shut, but in truth she wondered about his relationship with Diana. She truly wondered if Clark was being used by her, if she was one of those women who would pick up older guys and get them to pay their bills for them. "Well it's only been like a month and a half, I guess things can't be that serious."

"I don't know, we've known each other longer than that."

"How much longer?"

"Almost two years."

"Really? Then how come I didn't know anything about her until just recently?"

"Lois, there are a lot of things you don't know about me."

"Hey, I'm not trying to put your girl down or anything. I'm just curious. I may tease you and give you a hard time about things, but I only say those things because I love you. In spite of everything, you're one of the better friends I've ever had. I genuinely want to see you happy."

Clark chuckled. "Well thank you."

* * *

Diana felt awkward as she walked the halls of the Watchtower, her armor felt heavy and constricting, since she had not worn a stitch of clothing since Friday night. She had monitor duty today, and more than ever she was not looking forward to it. When she and Clark returned to his apartment she discovered that she had a dozen missed calls, two were from Shannon, but the other ten were from Justice League members, specifically female members. This would be all bad.

Dinah, Zatanna, Shayera had each called her multiple times, but strangely none of them left a message. Mari on the other hand only called once, and had left a message about a girls night. If Diana had to run into any of them she hoped Mari would be the one, as she would be least likely to want details on why she got no answer. Diana walked the halls towards the monitor room, trying to look normal, but extra aware of anyone she passed.

Luckily, she found none of those women by the time she arrived, finding Scott Free and Barda waiting for her to take over.

"Hello Scott. Hi Barda, what brings you here?" Barda wasn't an official member of the Justice League, mainly joining up when they were dealing with Apokolips and the League needed some extra muscle, and even then she only fought by Scott's side.

"Hello Diana. I was just keeping my Scott company."

"It's all yours Diana, you may now monitor nothing." Scott said, standing up. "I'll see you at home sweetheart." Scott kissed Barda on the cheek and transported out.

"You're not leaving with Scott?" Diana asked.

"No. I was asked to stay here." Barda answered.

Diana wondered what this was about. Barda rarely spent time at the Watchtower, and never without Scott. "By who?"

"Them." Barda pointed towards the door, where Zatanna, Dinah, Shayera and Mari were on their way in.

"Oh no." Diana groaned.

"What?" Barda asked.

"They know." Diana said.

Barda didn't respond to Diana, but stared quizzically at the others who were pulling up chairs to sit around them. "What is this?" She asked.

"Girls night." Zatanna said cheerfully. "We wanted to do it this weekend but someone who shall remain nameless, Diana, didn't answer her phone for two whole days."

"Just what were you doing?" Dinah asked.

Barda who was far behind the goings on of the league just discovered that Clark and Diana were dating yesterday. Not familiar with being part of a group of women sharing a friendly conversation she didn't display a whole lot of tact. "Perhaps she was with Superman, they are seeing each other."

"Perhaps she was. Were you Diana?" Dinah asked.

"Wait, we need a drink over this." Zatanna stated quickly. "Ytiurf Sknird!" Suddenly a small table appeared in the center of their semi-circle, topped with tropical looking drinks in hurricane glasses. Each one had a curvy straw and one of those little umbrellas. "Don't worry, there's no booze in them. Unfortunately."

Diana didn't take a drink, as the rest did. Nor did she answer Dinah's question. Although she considered all of them friends, she didn't want to tell them anything. Zatanna and to a lesser extent Dinah, were interested in how Clark was in bed, actually not even Clark, they wanted to know what Superman was like. Aside from the fact that it was none of their business, Diana felt that sharing intimate details of her and Clark's weekend was not only a breach of trust, but it was a misguided look into their relationship. Yes their lovemaking was mind blowing but there was so much more to them. The talking, the laughing, the silly jokes, and the fun times. The sex would have been severely lacking had they not already connected mentally.

"If you must know, Clark and I did spend the weekend together."

What followed was a mishmash of shrill voices begging Diana for details about her weekend. Questions that were way too personal to answer, coming from every direction, at a certain point Diana couldn't even tell who was talking anymore.

"Enough!" Diana shouted. "That's all I'm telling, we spent the weekend together, and didn't answer our phones."

Barda who had slowly sipped her drink during the shouting, remained silent. Once everyone calmed down she finally spoke. "I always thought the two of you were in love with each other."

Everyone turned to Barda with a shocked look. But none with a look as shocked as Diana.

Was she in love with Clark?

The question hit her hard.

* * *

Clark dropped down on his couch, today had been an exhausting day. Spent running around with Lois getting her interview, and dealing with her frustration at not finding the illegal connections she was looking for. He was glad that the world wasn't under attack right now, because he was definitely not at full strength. The sun kept his body strong, but there was surely something missing. When he heard sounds at his balcony, and watched Diana walk in he couldn't even move.

Diana sauntered into the living room where Clark was slumped on the couch, she was wearing her full Wonder Woman armor. Stopping directly in front of him, and putting her hands at her hips and holding her chin high.

"I've got a problem."

"What?" Clark asked wearily.

"My armor. It's hot, it's heavy and constricting. It's been annoying me all day."

"And?" Clark picked his head up, interested in where she was going with this.

"I want you to take it off for me."

Clark jumped up immediately, suddenly finding a new burst of energy.


	24. Chapter 24

Clark & Diana spent the next few weeks working hard to find time for each other. Clark got busy at the Daily Planet, and Diana got busy again for her foundation. Sometimes it was a struggle to find time for a quiet dinner, or a stolen lunch. Diana had been so busy she even missed the last league meeting.

Now he laid in the center of his bed in what felt like an empty apartment. Staring at the ceiling, his equilibrium was off, despite the fact that he was perfectly centered in the room, he felt off. Sliding over to the left, and then the right sides of the bed, he still felt off. And suddenly he realized that it wasn't the furniture that was off. It was the fact that Diana was missing. He missed her. When they did get together these last few weeks, it was mainly for sleeping in Metropolis or for lovemaking in the fortress, but when she was there, he didn't have the feeling of anxiety over being out of balance. Now he did.

Sleep came easy when Diana was with him, not so much when she wasn't. It was early on a Saturday morning and Clark had lain awake most of the night. He tossed and turned, longing for Diana's tender touch. With nothing else to do, he closed his eyes, and imagined the last time they were together, almost a week ago.

He was knocked out of his memory by knocking at the door. He rolled over in bed groaning, thinking it's probably Lois at his door again. But once he finally got up and looked, he got excited. It was Diana. He briefly wondered why she used the main entrance, but decided he didn't care, as long as she was here.

They didn't have to speak, he opened the door she closed it. She jumped into his arms, he caught her. She kissed him, he kissed her back. Talking would come eventually.

"I've missed you." She finally said, still held in his arms with her legs around his waist.

"I missed you too."

"Did you have plans today?" Diana let him go and set herself back on the floor.

"Not really. I was waiting for you."

"Good. Let's not do anything, I need to sleep." She grabbed his arm and pulled to his bedroom. Before spinning into a silk nightgown.

It had been established by now that, if Diana put on clothes before getting in bed, she wanted only to sleep. If she got naked first, they would eventually end up in the fortress where things would get really interesting.

"I'm finding that I don't sleep as well when you're not with me." Diana said, as she got in bed on top of the covers. "Come hold me."

Clark got in bed and held her as she requested. "So how was your week?"

"Very good. The bracelets are still successful, we're now starting an international push to get them moved worldwide. Very soon they will be available in the UK."

"Good." Clark mumbled as he laid on his side with his chin on her shoulder and one arm around her torso.

"Clark can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Why is Zatanna so curious about our sex life?"

"Is she?" Zee hadn't said anything to him in quite some time.

"Yes. Every time I see her she asks me about us. So does Dinah, and I think Shayera and Mari are curious, but they never ask." It started after their 'girls night' and didn't let up.

"What do you tell her?"

"Nothing. It's not her business. I just can't figure out why she keeps asking."

"Probably because of me."

"You?"

"She asked me out a while back, and I turned her down, because I was with you." Zatanna hadn't actually asked him out on a date, but Diana didn't need to know what she really asked.

"She did? When?"

"When we were in Smallville the first time. Remember the night I couldn't sleep? It was the same night Bruce found those drugs."

"Yes I remember. She said you turned her down." Diana couldn't be mad at Zatanna for that, as no one knew she and Clark were dating yet.

"Uh... Yeah."

Diana knew why Zatanna said he turned her down. Because he wasn't in love with her. But what did that mean? Diana laid still while Barda's words came rushing back to her. Were they in love? Diana wasn't sure if she wanted the answer right now. So she didn't ask.

Clark was glad Diana didn't ask anything else. He wasn't sure if Zatanna told her everything he said. It was true, he didn't love Zatanna, which aside from being with Diana was why he spurned her advances, but the question if he was in love with Diana or not weighed in his mind. He told Hippolyta before that he could see himself in love with Diana, but that was the last time he really thought about it. Is that what was happening? He needed to marinate on that one.

* * *

A few hours later, Diana decided that her nap sufficiently restored her energy. However Clark who was still asleep next to her had her pinned under his arm. She would probably have to wake him in order to get up. She didn't want to stay here too much longer, but figured to let him sleep for a few more minutes.

While she laid still she pondered the habit he'd developed since they'd started making love together. His hands had a tendency to end up holding her breasts every morning when they awoke. And today was no different, this time one of the thin straps holding up her gown was moved off her shoulder, exposing one to be cupped by his hand. It wasn't that she didn't like it when he touched her, because she did. As it was, she did nothing towards moving his hand away now, she just wasn't sure if she wanted him to do it every night, or if she should put a stop to it before he's too set in his ways to want to change.

Deciding she was hungry, Diana started to push him off so she could get up. But he wouldn't budge. She put some strength behind her push, and still couldn't get him off. For someone who was supposed to be asleep, he sure had a strong grip.

"Clark! Wake up! Clark!" Diana demanded.

Clark couldn't hold it any longer and finally started laughing. Which made Diana stop struggling, and look at him quizzically.

"This is fun." Clark chuckled. "I've been awake for a little while, I was just waiting for you to say something."

"I see. Well kindly let me up, I'm hungry."

Clark rolled away and let her up. Before standing himself he laid back and watched her do the mundane tasks of adjusting her top, and tying her hair back.

"What?" Diana asked, as he'd been staring at her since she stood, at first she assumed it was because her gown was halfway removed, but even after she covered back up he kept staring.

"What?" Clark responded innocently.

"Don't what me. You're staring. Why?"

"Because I can."

"Because you can?" What kind of answer was that?

"Yeah. I'm going to be honest with you, before we started this, I had to fight myself not to stare at you. When we first started the Justice League, and did our regular meetings, I'm glad you started sitting next to me, because if you had sat across from me, I never would have paid attention. You are, distractingly beautiful."

Diana lit up at his words, but there were more pressing matters at hand. "Well, I get ugly when I'm hungry. So feed me."

"You don't get ugly, you get angry when you're hungry. And ironically enough, you're beautiful when you're angry too." Clark stood up, put on a tee shirt and headed towards the kitchen followed by Diana. "I'm curious though, why did you sit next to me in those early days? You didn't even like me back then."

Diana laughed softly, "Actually I did like you. I just didn't understand it yet."

"Oh is that what it was?" Clark pulled a package of sausage out of the refrigerator and began the process of cooking breakfast. While Diana sat at a bar stool and watched.

"Yes. Clark you have to understand, when we started the league, I had only been away from home for six months, and was having feelings I'd never felt before. I couldn't ask Julia, or my mother or sisters, or even Shayera, and I definitely couldn't tell you."

"You were mean to me, and not to anybody else, Hal and Wally hit on you constantly and you never really got after them about it. Or Bruce and that grumpy guy thing he has."

"In some ways, I think it was because I was afraid of you. I had met men before you, and knew that they didn't want to keep all women in chains. But you were different, you were the only one strong enough to throw me to the ground and have your way with me. Even though you said under the lasso that you never would, I was still afraid of that on some level. "

"Amazons don't like being afraid." Clark said matter of factly.

"Yes. And because of that, I felt less than Amazon. I was afraid of you hurting me. But during that whole time, I wanted you to kiss me. It was a very confusing and lonely time for me. I've learned that most girls start to deal with those feelings when they're 6 years old. I was 21!"

Clark chuckled. "While I didn't know you were attracted to me, I did detect a little bit of fear in you. That's why I treated you so nicely, even when you weren't to me."

"I'm very glad you did that. Offering me friendship, that was the right thing to do. It made the progression to what we're doing now feel natural. I'm very happy with our relationship right now as it is." Diana added, hoping that would stop him from airing any feelings she wasn't prepared for yet.

After a breakfast of sausage, scrambled eggs and blueberry muffins, Clark and Diana moved to the couch. He sat on the end, while Diana laid across it, and put her feet in his lap.

"So, did you have any plans for today? Or did you just want to sit around." Clark asked.

"I have plans tonight. Shannon and some of her friends are having some sort of girls night, and they invited me."

"Girls night? I don't even want to know what that means."

"I'm not sure I know what it will mean with them. However I have a bit of an idea since my last monitor shift."

"How so?"

"Dinah, Zee, Shayera and Mari had an impromptu girls night the day after our weekend in the fortress. They invited Barda too."

"Really? How did that go?"

"It was enjoyable once they stopped asking about us. They sat around with fruity drinks, and talked about girly things. It also made my monitor shift go by much faster."

"Ok, Zee, Mari and Dinah I get, but Barda and Shayera? They're not the girliest women in the world."

"Shayera relaxed after a little while, Barda was uncomfortable nearly the entire time though. I guess being a fury all those years made it difficult to be in company like that."

"I guess."

"But until then, I intend to stay here with you."

"Sounds good."

* * *

Diana waited on the sidewalk in front of her apartment building. Shannon had just texted her saying she would be there any second to pick her up. Diana wasn't really sure what to expect tonight, only that it was some sort of girls night. Technically every night for the first 20 years of her life was a girls night on Themyscira. Her sisters would often gather in small groups to have fun, drinking and dancing, but this seemed somehow different. Even different from what she did on the Watchtower a few weeks ago. Shannon had told her they were going to a club, but that was it.

Diana was checking her phone again when a black limo pulled up in front of her. She was very confused when it stopped, until Shannon opened the door to greet her.

"Come on Diana!" Shannon called.

Diana followed Shannon into the limo, which was had six other women inside, all dressed sharply, with their faces caked with makeup. Diana wore her green dress, and a pair of silver flat shoes, she didn't look out of place at all. Some of them even had Wonder Woman bracelets on. The limo was fancy, and several of the girls had already started drinking.

"Everyone, this is my friend Diana." Shannon introduced.

Diana was greeted with smiles and waves, she reciprocated warmly. Shannon then introduced everyone by name.

"So are you the Diana that made the dress for Shannon?" Asked Ziva, the young woman sitting next to Diana.

"Yes."

"Cool, you're really talented. You're a dressmaker?" Ziva asked.

"Not really, it's just something I learned when I was young."

"You could open up shop if you wanted to. Custom dresses could make you good money around here." said Kate, who was sitting across from Diana.

Diana simply shrugged, she hadn't really thought about it. It was in her original plan when she took on her secret identity to find a job, but she never bothered to look. With the foundation and Clark to deal with she didn't really have time. Eventually she'd have to do something for appearances sake, but for now she wasn't dealing with that.

"Where are we going?" Diana asked Shannon.

"A club called the Red Door. Rumor has it, there are going to be some members of the Justice League there tonight." Shannon answered.

"Please be Superman, please!" Ziva called. "If he's there I'm gonna lose it!"

Diana tried to hide her frown, she still didn't like it when women talked about Clark like that. She had enough of that on the Watchtower, she didn't want to deal with it here too. Luckily, Kate lightened the mood.

"Superman isn't going to be there. Wonder Woman wouldn't let him go out to a club."

"You really think they're together don't you?" Shannon asked, indicating that she'd heard this theory from Kate before.

"Yes." Kate went on. "They have the same powers, they dress alike, and they'd be crazy cute together."

"I don't know about that." Ziva interjected. "If they were together, I think they would have said something by now. Besides, I'm convinced that Wonder Woman would rather date one of us."

"They're keeping it a secret Ziva!" Kate said. "She's all into him."

Diana held her tongue, one difference between she and Clark, was that he was very comfortable talking about Superman as if he's another person. Diana chalked it up to his always keeping his other life a secret. She on the other hand was uncomfortable when Wonder Woman was the topic of conversation. It was even more disconcerting that their speculation was spot on.

"What do you think Diana? Your boyfriend knows Wonder Woman. Has he ever said anything?" Shannon asked.

The others all shouted in unison, all asking something to the effect of 'How does your boyfriend know Wonder Woman?'

"He interviews her for the Daily Planet. He doesn't really talk about it all that often. I don't think he asks about her personal life." That was true, during interviews Clark was the consummate professional. Even when they were alone, he still wouldn't indicate anything about knowing her personally, let alone dating her. Still, Diana wanted to end this conversation quickly.

* * *

Arriving in the club in a limo attracted a lot of attention to the group, seeing a couple of six foot model types in Shannon and Diana, they were immediately allowed into the VIP lounge in the upstairs of the club. To everyone in the group's surprise except Diana, Flash and Green Lantern were hosting the party. They were on a couch in the corner surrounded by women.

Diana didn't like the way the men were looking at her, she was getting the same looks that she got while in her armor, but the men were much more bold. Probably because they didn't think she could throw them across the room if they offended her.

"What's up ma?" One man asked, while Diana was sipping her caramel apple martini.

Diana didn't say anything. She just gave him her best Batman stare. He went away after that.

* * *

Clark was sitting alone at home listening to Marvin Gaye records. Every once in awhile he would unbox his turntable and listen to music on vinyl instead of MP3's. Tonight was one of those nights. He was grooving on the couch to 'Please Stay (Once You Go Away)' when his phone rang. John Stewart was on the caller ID.

"Stewart, boy it's a good thing it's you calling and not anybody else. I don't like people interrupting my Motown." Clark joked.

John heard the music through the phone. He loved Motown music just as much as Clark did. If not more. "My bad man. You busy?"

"Not really. What's up?"

"I'm trying to find Hal. His ring says he's in Metropolis, but I'm having a tough time tracking him down. You got some time to help me out?"

"Sure why not. Where are you?"

"Right above you."

Clark looked up through the roof and saw John hovering high above his apartment, out of view of anyone but him. "I'll be right out."

A few minutes later, Superman flew up to meet John. "Thanks man, I know this is kind of inconvenient for you."

"Ah, no big deal. I wasn't doing anything. So what's going on, something on Oa?"

"I guess. Tomar-Re wants us for something, he didn't say what."

"Can't your ring find him?"

"Usually yes. But I think Hal is blocking me somehow. He's not answering his communicator either. He's probably at the club with Wally."

"Probably. Alright let's go track him down."

It was about twenty minutes later when they finally found him. He was in the VIP lounge of a club called the Red Door, surrounded by women.

"Well there he is. I'll see you later." Clark started to fly off.

"Wait a minute man. You're not coming in with me?"

"I don't go to places like this. I'll probably get mobbed."

"Yeah you probably would. But think of it this way, didn't Diana get mad when she found out Hal was betting on you two?"

"Yeah." Clark knew John took part in the betting too, but decided not to say anything.

"How about getting a little payback. If you walk in there, he won't see another girl."

Clark thought about it, Diana hadn't said anything about that incident in a long time. He was sure she was over it. "Ah what the hell."

* * *

Ziva was drunk, Shannon was close, there was one man in particular who kept sending them drinks. No doubt thinking he'd get one of them home tonight, but Diana had her eyes on him. She was going to make sure he went home alone. Diana didn't particularly like Ziva, but wouldn't allow her to be taken advantage of, and most definitely not Shannon. The man was on his way over again, until commotion started near the door. Everyone stood and turned, expecting a fight of some sort, only to see Superman and Green Lantern walking into the lounge.

Diana immediately stiffened, thinking there was something going on. For Clark and John to be here something must be. They were probably looking for Hal and Wally. Diana whispered discreetly to Clark, hoping he'd be able to pick her voice out, but he made no indication he did. He didn't seem to be doing much observing anyway. He looked locked in, with the face of the logical alien instead of the sweet caring man that she'd come to know him as. It was the look he usually put on as Superman.

Diana knew it was an act. Deliberately put on to keep himself from being mobbed, and it was working too. Diana learned that women could get aggressive over men when they wanted to. They were bold and pushy, sometimes even more than men were. But one look at his face, a combination of scowl and indifference, stopped them cold in their tracks, just staring and taking pictures with their phones. Ziva squealed and jumped up and down at the sight of him, Diana observed that even her drunken state Ziva was still quite nimble.

Hal and Wally craned their necks to see what the commotion was about, as did the women who were with them. As soon as they saw the red cape, the women rushed away to join the gawkers at Superman.

"Damn, it was fun while it lasted." Wally complained.

"Something must be going down for Superman to be here." Hal observed.

"Wasn't John trying to contact you?"

"Yeah, I was ignoring him, but this must be serious."

Clark and John stood in front of Hal and Wally.

"Outside." John said sternly.

Wally followed them outside assuming whatever was going on included him as well. But he discovered that was not the case, by the time he got through the crowd, John and Hal were already flying away.

"What's going on Blue?" Flash asked.

"I don't know. Something for Oa, I assume."

"So since there's nothing happening. You want to come back and party down for a while?"

Clark looked over at the crowd that had gathered to watch them, a crowd that consisted mostly of women who were still taking pictures. He immediately regretted walking into the club, it was highly out of character for him and he was already considering the repercussions of going in. "No."

"Come on dude!" Wally called as he took off.

But Clark didn't stop, until he heard an unmistakable heartbeat and voice, Diana. She was in the club. Shutting down some guy who was attempting to hit on her. He was surprised he didn't notice her before.

"Hmm. Well this should be interesting." Clark said to himself.

* * *

After the limo dropped everyone off at their homes, and Diana made sure Shannon was sufficiently shut in for the night she went for Clark's apartment. She wasn't sure if he noticed her at the club or not, but she wanted to clear the air, just in case he got the wrong idea about why she was there in the first place.

When she arrived Clark was carrying a crate of 33's into his storage room. She strolled quietly into the living room from the balcony, unsure if he noticed her or not.

"Clark?" She called.

"Yeah." He recognized her presence immediately, but was more concerned with putting away his records first.

"Any excitement tonight?" She asked.

"Not really. John needed Hal for something. He asked me to help track him down. But you already knew most of that didn't you?"

"Yes. So you did see me?"

"Yep." He said casually.

"You're not upset are you? That I went to a nightclub without you."

"Not really. As I was leaving I heard you shut down some guy who was trying to pick you up. It was pretty funny."

"Oh don't remind me. I heard some of the most miserable pick up lines ever tonight."

"Did you hear my favorite one?"

"What's your favorite one?"

Clark lifted one eyebrow and turned up half his mouth into a sly smile, and stepped close to her, pretending to be smooth. "Girl... You must be a parking ticket, cause you got fine written all over you."

Diana stared for a second, then burst out laughing. "That's your favorite line? That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard." She said between guffaws.

"That's what it's supposed to be." It was a line he used often, but only when he was already dating. Now that he thought about it, he was disappointed with himself that he hadn't said it to Diana before.

Diana kicked off her shoes and walked into his bedroom, and took a towel from his linen closet.

"You're staying here tonight?" Clark asked, as she went into the bathroom. He followed, stopping just outside the door.

"I was planning on it." She turned on the shower and began removing her dress. "Is there a problem?"

"Nope." He closed the door leaving her alone.

Sometime later Diana left the shower dripping wet wrapped in her towel. She went to the closet to put away her dress and get a nightgown from one of the bags she kept in the closet. It was ridiculous that everything she kept in his apartment had to be limited to two very small bags he allowed. Diana had the distinct feeling that even Clark thought it was ridiculous, but it still didn't stop him. It was more annoying than anything, and would be something they'd have to deal with moving forward but Diana wasn't dwelling on it now.

Clark hoped Diana would drop the towel and jump in bed with him, but when she emerged from the closet with a fresh nightgown he found he would have no such luck. However since he wouldn't be killing the mood it did give him the opportunity to ask something that had been on his mind.

"Diana?"

"Yes?"

"There's something I wanted to ask you. Something we haven't talked about before, but uh..." He looked serious, Diana became a little concerned, and stopped short of climbing into the bed.

"We've been, sleeping together for a little while now, but haven't discussed any sort of uh, protection."

"Oh that!" Diana was relieved. "No no, it's fine. I can't get pregnant. Don't worry."

"Ok good." Clark was relieved, but for a much different reason than Diana.

"Actually that's not true." Diana said, as she climbed into the bed and curled up next to him. "I can get pregnant, just not if I don't want to. And trust me I don't want to."

"Ok" Clark wondered what she meant by that, but decided not to ask.

"Goodnight Clark."

"Goodnight Diana."

A short time later, before either fell asleep, Diana turned to him again. "Clark?"

"Yes Diana?" He didn't open his eyes or even move.

"I think we should try making love here in the apartment."

"You think?" That got his eyes open.

"Yes. We're going to need to learn eventually." Diana rolled over to get on top of him. "The fortress may not always be an option."

Clark thought that they should get a regular bed and put it in the fortress first. That way they could learn exactly how much to reel themselves in. But when Diana removed her top, he gave up on that thought.

They would have to learn by doing.


	25. Chapter 25

Diana woke up alone in Clark's bed. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was just after 1PM. They hadn't slept for very long, spending most of the night in gentle intimacy. Observing the room, she saw that Clark was nowhere in sight, but everything else seemed to be in order. Even the bed seemed to be intact. Diana thought that they hadn't disturbed anything but wasn't sure until just now.

In their effort to keep from destroying anything, they slowed the entire process of lovemaking down considerably. Instead of pleasuring each other with their superhuman speed and power, pushing themselves to exhaustion as they did in the fortress. They took their time to pamper every inch of each other's body. With deep kissing, caressing, at a slow erotic pace. They ended the night finding total relaxation in each other's arms. Diana felt fantastic, but she wanted Clark back with her. Preparing to go search for him, Diana kicked off the covers relishing the cool air across her body as she stretched. Holding her arms over head and poking her chest into the air.

"You don't know how sexy you are when you do that." Clark observed.

Diana turned to the sight of Clark standing unclothed by the doorway to his bedroom. "You look pretty sexy yourself." Then she beckoned him back to bed.

"You look like you belong in my bed." Clark said as he kissed her possessively and swept his hand across her soft skin.

His touch made her feel like she belonged in his bed, but she was too wound up in the kiss to respond.

"You should go get dressed, we've got someplace to be."

"Where?"

"Bruce needs us for something. He didn't say what."

"In the middle of the day?"

"Yep. He told us to wear our glasses. Come on, he's got food too."

"Food sounds beautiful, but for the record, I'd rather stay in bed with you."

"_That_ sounds beautiful." Clark replied, "But we should go."

Diana got out of bed, leaving her gown on the floor, and strolled into the closet. To the clothes she was allowed to keep there, which consisted of sweatpants and t-shirts, just enough to get back to her apartment where she could dress properly.

As she emerged from the closet, Clark was getting a fresh towel before heading into the shower. Diana stopped and stared.

"What?" Clark asked, noticing Diana was frozen in place.

"What?"

"You're staring at me."

"Am I?" Diana feigned innocence.

"Yes. And I feel like we've had the conversation before."

"We have, but it was the other way around. The reason for my staring is the same as yours. You are distractingly beautiful Clark." Her eyes roamed up and down his frame.

"Oh yeah?"

"Oh yeah." Diana licked her lips. "But I should go. Meet me at my place in 20?"

"Sounds perfect." Clark said, then closed the bathroom door.

* * *

Clark and Diana landed in a wooded area inside the grounds of Wayne Manor, near the area Alfred used to shoot clay pigeons in his spare time. Then they made the 200 yard walk to the house.

"So he really didn't say why he wanted us here?" Diana asked, as they rang the doorbell.

"Nope. I'm just as clueless as you are."

"It doesn't make sense for him to ask us here in the middle of the day like this. But then again, you never know anything with Bruce."

"Very true."

A minute later the door opened, with Bruce on the other side.

"Come in." Bruce greeted.

Bruce led them through the foyer, down one of many halls inside Wayne Manor. Diana, who had been inside the house once, took note of the vintage decor. From the wood accents to the stone columns. It was drastically different from the ultra modern look of Clark's apartment, and best of all, no symmetry. Still though, it didn't feel like a home to her. And Diana suspected that Bruce felt the same way.

"Where's Alfred?" Clark asked, surprised that Bruce had answered the door in the first place.

"On a date." Bruce said quickly.

They stopped in an ornate room that was like with books all the way up the vaulted ceilings. There were three wingback chairs set up. Two were set close to each other facing the single chair. Bruce sat in the single chair, while Clark and Diana sat next to each other.

"I have a serious problem." Bruce began.

"Okay?" Clark said confusedly.

"You two, more than anybody know about the... stark differences between Bruce Wayne and, the other guy. You also know the lengths I go to make sure those two stay separated."

"Yes?" Diana said confusedly. "What is your problem?"

"Those lines are starting to get fuzzy." Bruce said pointedly.

Immediately Clark and Diana put together what Bruce was talking about. Selina.

"What did you do?" Diana accused.

"Since that night she stole the car, we've been sort of sleeping together, pretty regularly." Bruce almost looked ashamed for admitting that.

Diana lifted her glasses to pinch the bridge of her nose in annoyance. Clark just laughed, and laughed and laughed.

"Clark shut up!" Diana thought his laughter was rude and annoying. "Bruce, how do you let this happen? Of all the women in the world, you always pick the most toxic. She assists your enemies, she steals from you. She... she... Clark help me."

Clark was holding his mouth trying to stop laughing. "The arrangement that you've had since she took the car, are you happy with it?"

"I don't know." Bruce admitted.

"What about her?"

"I think she is."

"The real question is, why are you calling us?"

"I'm freaking out a little bit. Last night I realized that she's been keeping clothes in my closet."

Clark's eyes widened. "Ooh. You got to put a stop to that. Quickly!"

Diana turned to Clark quickly, with fire in her eyes. "And just what is that supposed to mean?!"

"It means she needs to keep her crap out of his house."

"Is that what it was? I had crap in your closet?" Diana was angry now.

"No. We're not talking about two drastically different things."

"How is it any different? Why do guys lose it when someone makes the tiniest change?"

"That's not a tiny change Diana, that's a huge change, that needs to be discussed at great length beforehand. But we digress." Clark turned back to Bruce. "As I was saying you need to put a stop to that quick."

Diana frowned at Clark.

"I'm not sure if I want to, that's the thing. I'm under a lot of stress, and she's an escape. She's like a drug, I crave her all the time even though she's bad for me." Bruce admitted.

Both Clark and Diana were dumbfounded, was this really Bruce talking? The Dark Knight looking into settling down?

"I've got more money than I'll ever need, but no one to share it with. There are only a few women who know anything about me. There was Talia, but she's gone. I grew up with Zatanna, but I'm pretty sure she's with John Henry. Selina gets me, all sides of me, and she doesn't back away from it. Kind of like you two."

"I don't know about that." Diana said. "I've never used Clark as barter to keep off of gangsters hit lists."

Bruce didn't answer, he had no comeback for that one.

"She's a freak isn't she?" Clark speculated. His brief interactions with Catwoman suggested that she was a wild woman in the bedroom.

Bruce nodded almost proudly, while Diana groaned her displeasure with Clark's question.

"But no matter what, I don't know what the hell I want. That's why I asked you here. I want Diana to ask her for me."

Clark burst out laughing. "What is this junior high? We're passing notes now?"

Neither Bruce nor Diana understood what Clark was saying, and gave him confused looks.

"Oh that's right, you didn't go to school." Clark indicated Diana, then turned to Bruce. "And you went with all rich people. What we regular folk did, was write a letter, and have a friend pass it to the person we liked. That's basically what you're asking her to do."

"Ok." Bruce relented.

"You're serious?" Diana asked.

Bruce answered. "Yes."

Diana looked at Clark nonplussed. Clark shrugged his shoulders, indicating it was Diana's decision. She was having a difficult time believing this was happening. Bruce had the discipline to always be on top of everything, always spinning his situation to where if he wasn't in control, he at least had a way out. But for reasons unknown, Selina could take that discipline and turn him into a grovelling little boy. Diana didn't like that Bruce was so into her, but decided to give in.

"Where is Selina?" She finally asked.

"Probably at her apartment on the south side." Bruce responded. "I told her I had something important to do today, so she's not here."

"You want me to do this when?"

"Tonight, in full armor, be intimidating if you have to. Use the lasso." Bruce suggested.

Clark tried not to laugh at the fact that the Batman, the most intimidating man in Gotham city, was scared of one little woman. But matters of the heart are touchy subjects, Lana Lang hurt Clark more than any super villain ever could. The years of not knowing why she left him affected him greatly. Until he got closure, he probably couldn't have moved forward with Diana the way he had. Clearly Selina had a hold on him that no one else did.

"I'll do it." Diana relented.

There was a long awkward pause after that, which Clark desperately wanted to break. "So you said Alfred is on a date?"

"Yeah, he dates more than you'd think actually. He's got a thing for 40 year olds."

"How old is he?" Diana asked.

"59"

"Hmm, who knew?" Clark was a little bit surprised, he had no clue Alfred was an active dater, or had an affinity for younger women. While Diana was only mildly interested. She was more concerned with having to deal with Selina.

* * *

Diana hung in the air over Gotham's south side. Selina lived in a low income housing project in the heart of the crime ridden area. It was past midnight, and Diana was glad she couldn't see any type of illegal activity on the ground, because she wasn't in the mood. Clark was gone, after he pointed out what Selina was doing, he took off very quickly. Not only because he wanted to hide their relationship from Selina, but mostly because he simply didn't want to be there. Which didn't sit well with Diana, he should be more inclined to support her when she's doing something unpleasant. She made a mental note to inform him about that later, but right now she had a task to do.

Selina was alone watching TV, she didn't want to stay home tonight, but she had nothing else to do. Her off the air TV antenna didn't get many channels, and most of those would pixelize heavily every 30 seconds, she longed for the days of the analog signal. When even if the picture wasn't perfect it still could be watchable, so long as you were willing to put up with a little bit of fuzz. This digital signal was nigh useless. She switched the TV off, and immediately heard something moving around in her bedroom. Selina was a martial arts expert, and had her home broken into on multiple occasions, so she wasn't really scared. She figured it was some junkie looking for a fix, that usually was the case.

Sneaking silently to her open bedroom door, she could see the outline of someone tall lurking in the dark. Selina stealthily went for a open handed blow to the face, aimed at breaking the assailant's nose and clouding their vision. But whoever it was, anticipated the attack, catching her hand in mid air and using her arm to spin her around and shove her away, she was sent flying into her closet. Selina knew only one person could sneak up on her like that.

"Well there loverboy, if you wanted a booty call, you could have used the phone like everyone else." Selina said seductively.

"That's not why I'm here." Was the answer from an authoritative female voice. Selina was highly confused until the light was switched on, revealing Wonder Woman.

"Oh, well that figures." Selina said dryly. "So I guess we're going to have a woman to woman, you want something to drink? I've got water."

"No thank you." Diana said sternly.

"So let me guess, he found the clothes in his house and sent you to handle me? It's a shock it took him this long, the worlds greatest detective didn't notice the spoils of an entire shopping spree in one of his many extra closets."

"He wasn't happy about that. But that isn't why I'm here. I want to know what your interest is with Bruce, without the masks."

"I want what any woman wants, money, security, and a warm bed, all of which he can provide for me quite well."

Diana wasn't sure if she should believe her. She didn't want to do it, but decided the lasso should be used. Before Selina could react, Diana looped it over her shoulders. Asking again. "What do you really want with Bruce?"

"I want him to be safe. I want him to be with me." Selina didn't look particularly happy about what she just said. Clearly she wanted to keep that information to herself.

"So why do you steal from him?"

"To protect him."

"How does stealing his car protect him?"

"They were going to kill him, he was going to walk right into it, taking his car kept him away."

"Who was going to kill him?" Diana demanded.

"Everyone. Every drug dealer in the city, and some from outside it. They pooled their money to get a big shipment intended for Metropolis, but Batman stopped it. Yes I antagonize him, yes I've gone against him from time to time, but I don't want to see anything happen to him. He doesn't care about his well being, but I do." Selina's entire demeanor changed. Before being under the lasso, everything she did was in a flirty or seductive manner, in an attempt to entice anyone she meets. But now her true colors were showing, and she was truly concerned for Bruce.

Diana stayed for a little while longer, mostly trying to find information on each individual drug dealer, but Selina didn't know names. Diana left the small apartment with a different view on Selina. She played with Bruce's mind almost as a sport, she antagonized him simply because she could. Very few others could get Bruce flustered in any way, and she truly believed it when Selina mentioned she thought Bruce enjoyed it somehow. Selina and Bruce had a strained relationship, they both knew it was bad for them, but both still wanted it.

She would inform Bruce about the drug dealers, and what Selina said before she was compelled by the lasso but not the true feelings she had. Selina and Bruce would have to deal with that themselves. Even though they both knew their relationship was toxic, she wouldn't get in the way if they wanted to be together, and would allow them to pursue things on their own.

Diana didn't have first hand experience at an unstable relationship, but she knew that it was possible. She knew that her and Clark's relationship could not be as smooth as it was now. That it can, and eventually will be tested, much more than it has been so far. As she flew back through a thunderstorm moving through Metropolis, she hoped that those tests would be far in the future.

* * *

By the time Diana finished with her shower the thunderstorm was in full effect. The rain was coming down as hard as she'd ever seen it. And when lightning struck, it was so bright that it lit up the room almost like it was daytime. It gave her a good look at Clark asleep in her bed. Just like he said about her this morning, he looked like he belonged there. With her sexy outfits at his place, Diana changed into a pair of gym shorts and an oversized t-shirt. Then she climbed into the bed with Clark, she nearly laughed at how nervous they both were the first time they shared this bed. Now it felt natural to sleep next to him, in fact it was difficult to do without him.

Glancing over, she marveled at the sight of him. Weather he was dressed in a business suit, Kryptonian armor or nothing at all, she thought Clark was an extremely handsome man. But there was something about seeing him totally relaxed was very pleasing to Diana.

It was a thrill to be with him, for her to be the center of his affections, to be the one who makes him happy, to be the one who quells his fears of being alone, made Diana extremely happy herself. Everything he does indicates that he feels those same things about her, and it was an amazing feeling. Maybe Barda was right?

Diana move closer to Clark, kissed him softly on the cheek and curled up to go to sleep. Letting the sound of the rain relax her, she imagined a place where she and Clark were together and admitting freely that they were in fact in love.

She woke up the next morning, in a familiar position. On her side, with Clark spooned up behind her, once again his hands on her breasts. The t-shirt she'd worn to bed had been removed and was nowhere in sight. This had to stop. Luckily he was stirring awake, she would end this now.

"Clark, I need you to stop doing that."

"Stop doing what?" Clark asked groggily.

"Stop taking off my clothes in the middle of the night."

Clark sat up to get a good look at her, in only a pair of gym shorts, she was what fantasies were made of. "No problem. There's one thing though. You're the one who does that."

"Me?"

"Yes. Every night, you're the one who moves my hands too. And for the record I'm never going to complain about it." He said with a smile.

"Oh." Diana didn't know what to say now.

"If you're curious, it's by your feet."

Diana reached under the covers for the shirt, and put it on. "You have to go to work don't you?"

"Yes I do. But I've got time to go to breakfast, you want to come with?"

"Yes."

* * *

Clark and Diana sat at a booth in a crowded greasy spoon diner, waiting for their food to arrive.

"So is Wally still mad at you?" Diana asked.

"Probably. At least he's stopped leaving me angry messages."

"What is he mad about again?" Diana wasn't sure about that part still.

"After I left the club the other night, all everyone wanted to talk about was if I was coming back or not. Apparently I stopped him from doing... Whatever it is he was trying to do that night."

Diana laughed. "You remember when he asked you to go with him?"

"Yeah I do. And it would have gone pretty much the same."

"Probably."

Their food finally came, Diana ordered breakfast casserole, which was sausage, eggs, waffles and cheese baked in one dish. While Clark ordered the breakfast sampler, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns with biscuits and gravy.

"That's huge!" Diana exclaimed, her meal was a rather large proportion, but Clark's was ridiculous.

"It's not like yours is small. Or you're not going to eat that whole thing." Clark accused.

Diana looked at her plate, she was planning on eating it all. "Ok fine. But I need this to keep going. Donna and I always needed to eat more than the others."

"That's one of the things I like about you. You're not afraid to enjoy a meal. A lot of women hide the fact that they actually eat food."

"Yes. That's one of the things I'm trying to change. This meal suggests I don't practice what I preach, but healthy eating is one thing I focus on. Actually since I've been with you, I've eaten terribly. Pizza and fried chicken every other night."

"That's the good stuff." He laughed. "So do you have plans for the day?"

"I was planning on going home. I haven't seen my mother and sister for a while. I have actually been putting it off."

"Why is that?" Clark took in her concerned look.

"I'm worried how they'll receive me. I'm... not the same woman I was last time I was there."

"Yes you are. And if you have to, remind them."

Diana dropped her eyes in a wry smile. She wasn't as confident as he was about it.

Clark spend the rest of breakfast trying to cheer her up. He wasn't sure how good of a job he was doing, because her mood didn't lighten much. Before he got up to leave, he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Diana felt an electricity from his touch she never felt before. like he was trying to tell her something. As soon as he left, she felt better. Because no matter what happened, when she returned, he would be there for her with open arms.


	26. Chapter 26

Diana landed on the beach, not far from where her mother sculpted her and prayed to give her life. It was one of the more secluded beaches, surrounded by thick forest, but Diana always felt connected to this place. When she was a teenager she would sit here for hours staring at the sky, dreaming about the outside world. Recently she hasn't spent very much time here, but this time she had the overwhelming thought to show Clark this place. It wasn't a fortress of solitude, but it was a place she came to be alone. Since she was the only one to see the fortress, she decided that he would be the only one to see this place.

Spending a few minutes on the beach was supposed to calm her nerves, but when she lifted off the ground preparing to find her mother, they returned. She didn't really have a plan for this visit, she simply wanted to see everyone. She was expecting probing questions from her mother, and was planning on answering them honestly, but the x factor was her discomfort with discussing certain things with her mother, she might just back away, or even lie about it.

It had been morning in Metropolis, but on Themyscira it was midday, and her mother was doing exercises in her private courtyard. Diana always thought her mother was the most graceful woman in the world. Hippolyta was doing forms, that reminded Diana of Tae Kwon Do, her movements were flawless, and she looked at peace. Diana smiled, remembering when she was just a toddler trying to mimic the movements, back then her mother was so patient in her instruction. As the years progressed, she became more of a drill sergeant, instead of a loving mother. As she touched ground, Diana hoped to get the loving mother today.

Hippolyta heard feet on the ground suddenly behind her. "For the last time Donna, I have said no! Oh, Diana! I am so pleased to see you."

Diana gave her mother a warm embrace.

"What brings you here so suddenly?"

"No reason. I just wanted to visit."

"Come let us sit." Hippolyta led Diana by the hand inside the large stone building where she lived, they sat on a bench covered in soft pillows. "Tell me, is your world still at peace?"

"Mostly, there is nothing happening that cannot be handled by the people." There was the constant political shoving between countries and such, but the Justice League typically stayed out of those issues.

"What of your mission? Your charity work and other endeavors?"

"Everything is progressing well, we will be expanding internationally soon."

Hippolyta took a deep breath, steeling herself for the answer. "What of your personal life? Your man in particular." Hippolyta hoped to hear that they'd stopped their romance to continue only as friends, but didn't expect it.

"Our relationship is... as we want it to be. We are.. h-happy with each other." Diana stammered and looked away.

Hippolyta knew that whenever Diana stumbled through her words, there was information she was keeping from her. "Diana what are you not telling me? Has something happened?"

"Yes, something has happened."

"You've lied together?" Hippolyta guessed.

Diana simply nodded her head. No amount of mental preparation could quell the discomfort this conversation brought.

"Did you give your consent?" Hippolyta struggled to say.

Diana closed her eyes and spoke barely above a whisper. "Yes."

"Was he gentle?"

"When I wanted him to be."

Hippolyta wasn't sure how to take that last statement. She was going to ask, but decided she'd be better off not knowing. "I just pray that he hasn't used your willingness to be his lover to make you do anything degrading."

"No." Diana said immediately.

Hippolyta took several deep breaths as if she was in pain, while staring at the floor. It was still difficult to comprehend that her little girl saw herself as a woman now. A woman who had crossed the threshold into being intimate with a man.

"Mother, have you ever met a man that treated you with dignity and respect?" Her mother lifted her head to look into Diana's eyes. "Epione once told me of another healer that befriended her. Who never once threatened her or even tried to seduce her. Was there anyone, in your entire life that did not want to hold you under their will?"

Diana wanted the truth, so she gently slipped an end of her lasso over her mother's wrist. Hippolyta didn't resist, and after a moment finally spoke. "Many men presented a facade of kindness to me, but none had any such kindness in their heart. In all of my years, there are only two men I have encountered that have truly treated me with the dignity and respect you speak of."

"Only two? Who were they?" Diana asked eagerly.

"Your man, Clark Kent, and his father Jonathan."

Diana's heart broke with her mother's words.

"My life experiences have damaged me. I must heal. I must learn to trust, something I have never done before. I am glad that you are happy, I am glad that the man you chose has your utmost trust, and I pray that he keeps it. I pray that you will always be safe from harm." Hippolyta embraced Diana and fought back tears. "I love you so much."

"And I love you mother."

* * *

After some time, Diana left her mother in search of Donna. She had a formula, that she wouldn't have to ask more than 6 Amazons, before someone would know where Donna was, it worked last time she was here, she decided to put it to the test again.

"Appolonia, do you know where I might find Princess Donna?" Diana asked.

Appolonia stared at Diana awkwardly, it was a somewhat chiding look that made Diana feel uncomfortable. "She was here a short while ago with Kara, I believe they were headed to the weapons hall."

"Thank you." Diana said hesitantly.

Diana was in a crowded marketplace, many were staring at her with the same look Appolonia did. This had happened before, when she first told her mother that she and Clark were dating, but this time the looks were more disappointed. No one said anything to her, but Diana had a good idea that everyone knew, and she also had a good idea how they knew.

Kara and Donna were in the hall of weapons at a workbench piled with metalworking tools. Using her heat vision, Kara was heating metal for what looked like a sword blade, while Donna waited with a hammer to pound it. Donna saw Diana enter the room and immediately saw the look on her sister's face.

"It's her fault!" Donna pointed to Kara.

"No it isn't! I can't help it that I can hear everything! She's the one who told everyone."

"I'm sorry Diana, I didn't know they would react like that. If it means anything I don't think any less of you." Donna hugged her sister tightly.

"They don't understand." Diana simply said. "They don't know any better than to look at me as an outcast."

"I tried to tell them that you weren't under some sort of control. That I had met Clark and his family, and they were nothing like the men they once knew. But I don't think they want to believe." Donna assured.

"I understand sister. I'm not angry with you. I was prepared for everyone to silently judge me. Their opinions don't matter. But yours does Donna. How do you feel?"

"If you're happy. I'm happy. You're my sister, I'll stay by your side always."

Diana smiled at her sister's words, then looked to Kara, curious how she felt about the whole situation.

"Don't look at me, I thought you two were married from the beginning."

"You did?" Diana asked surprised.

"Yeah. Believe it or not, I'm actually about 4 years older than Clark, so I remember Krypton."

"Really?" Diana didn't know that. "Then how is it you can be 10 year younger than him now?"

"Something about space-time. His ship took about two hours to get from Krypton to Earth. It took my ship 26 years to get here, and I had aged 12 years."

"Wow." Diana was amazed, then it suddenly dawned on her. Clark said he was about six months old when Krypton was destroyed, making it impossible to have a cousin that much younger than him.

"But anyway, I thought you two were married, because on Krypton, when a woman marries she drops her father's name using only her given name, and wears the colors of her husband's house, you didn't have a last name, and wore red, blue, and gold. I thought you were Kryptonian, we were in the fortress, so actually I thought we were still on Krypton. I didn't figure it out until I started floating in the air. Imagine that. Going to sleep a toddler, waking up a teenager, discovering you can fly, then seeing your baby cousin is a grown man. That was a very shocking five minutes."

Diana recalled the time when Kara's ship was found. Clark had called her a few hours after he'd woken Kara up. He was so excited to have found another Kryptonian, and a family member at that. Kara lived in the fortress for a few weeks until Diana convinced him, by kicking him in the head several times, that Themyscira was the best place for her. Which is where Kara has been since.

"Anyway I'm happy that you and Clark are happy. He told me a little about someone he was with before, from his hometown who hurt him. Also during the time he found me, he said he was dating some girl that all of his friends called fat."

Diana wasn't aware of that him dating anyone at that time, but then again she was still trying to categorize romantic feelings for friendship. She knew about his relationship with Lana, she knew the frustration he felt about Lois, but knew nothing about a fat girl. She made a mental note to ask him when she sees him later.

In the meantime Diana decided that she'd stay here for a while and help Donna and Kara with the sword they appeared to be making. Which didn't look very Themysciran in design.

"Donna what kind of sword is this?" Diana asked.

"It's like one I saw when we were in man's world. Mother and I went into a marketplace full of machines and small devices, some pixie of a girl tried to sell us new smartphones."

"An electronics store? You didn't tell me about that." Diana said.

"You never asked. Anyway, there was a wall that had dozens of looking glasses, showing different events around the world."

"Televisions?" Diana guessed.

"Yes! And one of them had a sword that looked just like this." Donna picked up a design drawing that she'd made, as a reference to what she was going to build and handed it to Diana."

Diana looked at the drawing and recognized it immediately. "Oh. A katana."

"Is that what it's called?" Donna asked.

"Yes. As I understand it they were originally of Japanese design, they're designed to be very flexible but still strong. I don't know the process for making one, so good luck."

The two sisters conversed about how to make the sword properly while Kara sat back and listened, not only to Diana and Donna but to the other conversations going on nearby. Some Amazons thought that Diana should be banished from the island, others thought that she should be kept here to have her mind and body cleansed of any Kryptonian spell on her. As much hatred for Kryptonians was being discussed, none of it revolved around Kara herself. Which was strange, she was Clark's cousin, and made it very clear that she was loyal to her only living relative, yet they never feared her. Kara couldn't figure that one out.

"Diana. The queen is looking for you." Kara called after a while.

"What? Where is she?"

"She and Phillipus are riding through the marketplace, asking if you'd gone yet."

"I shall go meet her." Diana left the weapons hall to find her mother.

* * *

Hippolyta and Phillipus had ridden their horses through the marketplace and were coming up on a more secluded spot when the saw Diana flying towards them.

"Kara said that you were looking for me?"

"Yes." Hippolyta spoke, with the public voice of a queen. Gone was the loving mother from inside her apartments. "In several days time, the Amazons will hold a grand feast. In the name of peace, understanding and healing, I wish for you to invite your Clark Kent to join us. I said that he'd be given the opportunity to earn my trust, this is but one step in that process. He must survive an evening surrounded by Amazons and if he manages to not offend anyone enough to cause his demise, I will be closer to trusting him. What say you?"

Diana wasn't in love with the idea. It was bad enough that Artemis tried to kill him last time he was here, but having to dine with many, was a whole different story. "Under several conditions."

"Within reason." The queen said.

"That you decree that no Amazon is to make any move to harm him. If he commits any punishable offense, I will carry it out. And that I may decide the seating of our tables."

The queen considered the requests. "Very well. Inform your man."

Part of Diana was was excited, because she was sure Clark would prove that the Amazons have the wrong idea about many of the men in today's world. The other part was worried if he would even agree to come after the attempt on his life on his first visit.

* * *

Clark was lounging on his sofa flicking channels. He'd been off work for several hour now, and after going to the watchtower for a while to catch up on the goings on, he was back at home. After today, it was nice to finally relax.

He was beginning to doze off when he heard footsteps. Diana had just flown in, still wearing her armor. "Hey you're home." He called, then immediately caught that he just referred to her as being home.

Diana didn't miss that he just referred to her as being home, but based on the shocked look on his face she decided not to say anything about it. "Hey. Let me change I'll be right back."

She came back a few seconds later wearing black, skin tight yoga pants and a green spandex tank top. 'Lounging clothes' as she came to know them, matching Clark's sweatpants and t-shirt. As she approached, he made no move to allow her room to sit next to him, so she just laid down on top of him. With her back on his chest.

"So. How was your day?" She asked.

"Started out fine, ended strangely though."

"How did it start?"

"The big buzz around the office was my appearance at the nightclub the other night. Cat Grant, was on another level today. She was like a legit reporter, looking for witnesses and sources. I was so proud of her I helped her out a bit."

"How so?"

"I got her in contact with Shannon."

"Oh I bet Shannon loved that."

"Yeah she did, she skipped class and came to the office for her interview. And was quite excited to meet Lois, given her connection to Superman and all."

Diana simply laughed.

"I was proud of Cat until I read the article, because half of it was speculation if Wonder Woman would be upset by Superman walking into a club full of women."

Diana laughed again. "So what strange event ended your day?"

"I went to the watchtower after work. Wally tried to fight me."

"What?" Diana sat up to turn and look at him. "Why would he try to fight you?"

"The club thing. He was mad, he ran up behind me and slammed me on the ground."

"You just let him do that to you?"

"I didn't let him, I didn't even see him. All I said was that I'd get him back when he least expected it."

"How are you going to do that?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'll ruin another club night." Clark joked. "By the way Bruce was right, John Henry and Zatanna are together."

"Really? Good."

"Good?"

"He made her breakfast a few weeks, ago and she suddenly realized that, what did she say? He can get it. Quite frankly I'm happy about it, now she won't be after you so much."

"Oh, yeah I guess."

"Anything about Bruce?" She moved to lay back down, this time nose to nose.

"Nothing. I assume he'll be going after those drug dealers at some point soon. That is if Selina doesn't steal something else from him. But enough about that, how were things at home? Should I keep my head on a swivel for an Amazon lynch mob?"

"No. In fact, you've been invited back."

Clark worried about that. "Did you tell anyone about the recent changes we've made?"

"Thanks to your cousin's ears and my bucketmouth sister. They know we've had sex, I got a lot of dirty looks but no one said anything. Mother is grudgingly accepting of it. There is to be a feast on Saturday, and you will be my guest."

"And you're sure they won't try to kill me?"

"Positive, mother will decree that no one will make a move to hurt you. And that the punishment for any crime you may commit will be carried out by me."

"What kind of crime might I commit?"

"I don't know Clark, just be yourself and you'll have nothing to worry about."

"If you say so."

"I say so. Now are you watching this?" Diana turned to the tv, which was muted, but on a sports highlights show.

"Not really."

"Good." Diana took the remote and turned the tv off. "Let's go to bed, it's much more comfortable there."

"Alright whatever." He followed her, acting indifferent, but actually he was a little bit sleepy.

"First of all I didn't know that Kara was older than you." She began as she climbed into the bed.

"Yep, before you sent her away, she told me about myself as a baby."

"Really? What did she say?"

"She said she expected me to be bigger. She was looking for a playmate right away." Clark paused. "She's got it tough. She missed out on a lot of years. I think that's why she's so fun loving."

"Yes. She and Donna get along very well. I'm glad that Donna has such a good friend without me there every day. But there was something else she talked about. Your old girlfriends."

"What about them?" He asked.

"Who were they? Why did things end between you?" Diana wondered, because in the back of her mind she knew they might not be together forever. She wanted to know how to avoid anything that had ruined past relationships.

"Well I've dated plenty of women, but haven't had relationships with many. So.. you already know about Lana."

"Of course."

"There was Mayson Drake, a district attorney. Who was crazy about Clark Kent, but wanted Superman removed from the planet. We went out a few times but it wouldn't have worked. Not that it mattered in the end."

"What does that mean, what happened?"

"She was murdered, died in my arms." He said sadly, dropping his head into his hands.

"Oh my." Diana didn't know that. He looked very sad about it, so she gently rubbed his back. It took a few minutes for him to regain is composure.

"Then there was Lorren Landry, or Ms. Chubby as Lois and Cat called her."

"Chubby?" Diana asked.

"She was... a big girl. She was cute though, it didn't bother me. She always thought I was too good looking for her, and was convinced I was cheating on her because I disappeared all the time. Which was true, the disappearing anyway, she dumped me shortly after I found Kara, and during that Stylon invasion."

"Oh." Diana remembered the Stylon invasion well. They were giant brutish looking creatures, who wanted to take over the Earth. Who despite being 8 feet tall, they were weaker than a typical 10 year old girl, and their weapons couldn't hurt anyone. It took several days to finally get rid of them, as their sheer numbers were the only real problem.

"That was by far the dumbest thing that's ever happened to us." Clark pointed out, laughing at the silly memories.

"Without a doubt. Didn't they want Dinah to be their goddess?"

"Yeah."

"They were so disappointed." Diana laughed.

"Yes they were." Clark then went back to the original topic of conversation. "Then of course the most recent companion on the relationship journey of Clark Kent is you. Which is a good thing, because the damning factor in every one of my relationships so far has been Superman, but I don't have to worry about that with you."

"No you don't. Because if you fly off, I'll be right beside you."

"Good." Clark nearly mumbled the words. When Diana looked at him he appeared to be asleep.

"Clark? Are you asleep already?"

She got no answer, he was down for the count. He didn't fall asleep this fast, unless he was physically exhausted, which Diana knew all about making him exhausted these day. Diana briefly wondered if he tried to get Wally back already but couldn't catch him. Either way, whether they were sleeping or not, laying in bed with Clark is where she wanted to be right now. So she curled up next to him to give in to sleep for the night.

* * *

Diana awoke just a few hours later, she hadn't been very tired, only retreating to the bed because it was more comfortable than the sofa. The room was still dark, only lit by the moonlight coming in from the window. Clark's steady breathing suggested that he was still fast asleep. It didn't take long to notice her nighttime habit had occurred again, the top she'd been wearing was sitting on the table next to the bed and the warmth alone told her that his hands were in their familiar place. Diana sighed lightly, it wasn't a bad thing, and Clark seemed rather please by it, she just wished she could remember doing it. Pushing his hands away, she got up and went into the bathroom. Looking in the mirror she immediately noticed that her hair was tied back into a long ponytail. She hadn't remembered doing that either. She suddenly wondered. What else she did she do in her sleep?

Now that she was wide awake, she left the bathroom, and padded into the living room. After selecting a book from one of the shelves, she curled up on the sofa planning to read from it until Clark woke up. Her mind however was elsewhere, she was more concerned with how this feast on Themyscira would go. Instead of focusing on the book, she ran through various scenarios, involving her and Clark. Some good, some extraordinarily bad.

* * *

_A/N: Mayson Drake was a poorly used love interest in the 90's Lois & Clark series, who loved Clark, disliked Superman and ended up dying in his arms. Lorren Landry and the Stylon however come directly from the garden of my mind. _

_These updates are coming fast now, it's amazing how much writing I can do when I should be doing something else. _


	27. Chapter 27

Diana was nervous as she led Clark down to Themyscira. All week she'd prayed and prayed that she and Clark would be able to leave unscathed. Facing her mother was one thing, facing all of her sisters was another. She'd visited the island several times since the feast was announced, ordering the seating arrangements for Clark's table, and making sure it was widely known that no Amazon was to attack Clark. There was no guarantee however of anything, Hippolyta's orders have been disobeyed before, occasionally by Diana herself. Instead of landing on the beach and walking into the heart of the city as she usually did. Diana and Clark flew directly to her old bed chambers. They swooped in through the large open window, immediately upon landing Diana pulled Clark close into a passion filled kiss.

"What was that for?" Clark asked when Diana finally broke away.

"For some reason I've always wanted to do that in here." Diana had imagined doing a lot more than kissing in this room, but now was not the time.

"Oh." Clark looked around, he'd never seen this part of Diana's life before. The marble floors, and brick walls which were lined with many weapons. And there were three arched doorways that led to different rooms. "So how much of this is yours?"

"There are four rooms in total, all of which are mine. When we were very young, Donna and I shared this chamber, but now she stays in the next one."

"Where does Kara stay?" He asked.

"In the next building across the road."

"Hmm." He went to the wall of weapons, his hands grazing across a warhammer. "It's dusty in here."

"Well I don't stay here very often anymore. Before I moved to Metropolis I would split time sleeping here or the Watchtower, but these days, I've been staying with you so much, now I barely even sleep at my own apartment."

"Did you make all of these weapons?"

"Most of them."

"You are a dangerous woman, you know that?" Clark marveled.

"What makes you say that?"

"You come off as this soft, caring beautiful woman, but it's easy to forget the other side of you. Here I am in your childhood bedroom and you have a wall decorated with deadly weapons, and if necessary you will not hesitate to use them. Wait a minute... I'm in your bedroom. I'm not going home today am I?"

"Clark you'll be fine. I won't leave your side all day."

"It's nice to have you as a protector and all, but I still don't feel that much better. I feel like if anybody knows that I'm in your bedroom they'll just hate me even more."

"Myself, Kara, Donna, My mother, and possibly Epione all do not hate you. I can't speak for the others but they most likely can't hate you any more than they already do. Gossip flies very quickly here. Everyone knows that you have 'defiled' me, so they probably expect us to be in here."

"I remember you saying that they knew about us. But they think I defiled you now? Didn't you tell them..."

"Yes I told them that I also wanted you just as you wanted me, but they don't understand. They can't understand." Diana moved to stand close and hold his hands. "These women have been beaten, abused, and controlled, and they associate all these things with men. Particularly a man as strong as you. This is a burden that you have to face, it is on your shoulders to show them the truth. Prove to them that they are wrong, and that they can live in peace. This could be monumental for the future of Themyscira, you can do this. I believe in you, and will stand by your side every step of the way. Just be yourself, everything will work itself out."

"Ok. So what are the plans for this feast?"

"Oh, it's more than just a feast. It is a party. There will be entertainment, music, even dancing." Diana perked up over the dancing. She had a surprise in store for him about that. "I don't know everything that is planned, but I do know that a fun time will be had by all."

Clark wasn't as sure about that. But was trying to be optimistic.

"They'll be expecting us at any time. Try not to look too retreating, because that will reflect poorly on me, but try not to look too intimidating either as that will start a fight." Diana took a deep breath. "Anything you see, just take it in stride, I don't expect you to understand everything. If you're confused about anything just ask me. Okay?"

"If I'm confused. Just ask you." Clark stated flatly. "No problem."

"Good. Now kiss me." Diana grabbed him and pulled him down to her.

* * *

Phillipus was informed that Diana and her man had arrived several minutes ago. There were questions about some of the arrangements Diana had demanded. After Kara and Donna were found unable to help it was decided Diana must be consulted. The first place Phillipus decided to look was her bedroom.

Locked doors were a highly uncommon occurrence on Themyscira, the natural closeness each woman shared and the lack of modesty most showed didn't lead to it being necessary. Many times during Diana's upbringing did Phillipus open her door unannounced, weather she had been sleeping, changing, exercising or any other activity not once did Phillipus witness anything unbecoming of an Amazon. Until today.

Throwing the door open, she was shocked to find Diana wrapped in the arms of her man. With her lips all over his, her hands on his body and his on hers. It was a disturbing sight, one she hadn't seen in centuries. Horrible memories were sent to the forefront of her mind of the last time she witnessed a man kissing a woman.

Phillips shook her head, trying desperately not to recall the horrifying memories of watching her Queen and dearest friend brutalized by the monster Heracles for refusing to kiss him properly. Seeing Diana, who looked so much like her mother in an embrace with a man was too much.

"Princess!" She shouted, gripping the hilt of the sword at her belt.

Diana quickly disengaged from Clark. Highly embarrassed to be caught in such a position. "Phillipus."

"Princess, your assistance is needed in the hall." Phillipus couldn't even look at them. Her breathing was heavy, she felt sick.

Clark knew about several Amazons from Diana over the years. He knew that Philippus was The Queen's closest friend, advisor and General of the army, but she did not look well. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Diana crossed the room to the General, holding her for support. Phillipus looked like she might fall. "Are you ill Phillipus, what is wrong?"

Phillipus whispered as if Clark couldn't hear. "Why does he touch you so?"

Diana briefly glanced back at Clark. "He is my boyfriend, he did not harm me, I wanted him to kiss me."

"You are needed in the hall. Come when you are ready." She couldn't take it anymore. Phillipus quickly spun around and hurried away from the room.

"I've never seen her like that before. Her emotions have always been in control, logic and reason are her strengths." Diana turned back to Clark. "What could have come over her?"

Phillipus' actions were a stark reminder to Clark about what he would face today. An entire nation of abuse victims. Actions that others might find docile, could remind anyone of something horrible. He truly felt the weight of what was on his shoulders. Today he was representative of all the men on earth who were inclined to treat women with respect. Diana had told him earlier in the week that he and his father were the only men to ever treat Hippolyta with respect. He suspected that many of the Amazons had never been shown respect by a man before.

"We should go find Kara. You should stay with her until I return."

"You said you wouldn't leave me all day."

"I misspoke, you will have a minder all day. Either myself, Kara or Donna. You're not allowed in the hall until you're invited. Kara will be happy to show you around until we're ready. The two of you should spend time together, you haven't been able to since she's been here."

They walked out of Diana's building, across the road to Kara. Who both saw and heard them coming so opened the door as they arrived.

"Kara, I have to go to the hall for something. Please watch after Clark, make sure no one causes trouble for him." Diana said.

"No problem. Come on in Clark." Kara said happily.

Clark walked into Kara's multi-room chamber. It was a mirror image of Diana's with it's high ceilings and stone architecture. Except for the arrangement of the furniture. In here, it was all perfectly symmetrical.

"I love the furniture arrangement. It's very comforting." Clark noticed.

"Me too. It reminds me of our house on Krypton."

"Hmm." During the time she was in the fortress she spoke briefly about the time she spent on Krypton. She didn't remember much. But Clark was always enthralled with what she said.

"Have a seat." Kara pointed out a chair for him.

"Thanks." Clark sat down in one chair, Kara took another. "So how are they treating you?"

"Fine."

"You like it here?"

"It's alright. I'm really glad Donna is here, if she wasn't I don't know what I'd do with myself. The Amazons are about work, work, work. There's so little downtime, or time for fun."

"Don't they find battle training fun?"

"Yes they do. But after awhile it gets tiresome fighting the same person over and over. Donna is the only one who can go toe to toe with me." Artemis put on the gauntlets of Atlas once, and challenged her. But Kara still won easily, as did Donna. The gauntlets enhanced the wearer's strength, but not to the level of a Kryptonian or demi-goddess. "And they prefer to do it naked. I really have problems with that."

"Yeah, Diana told me about that. I don't blame you."

"I'm not an Amazon. I just don't have it in me."

"The thing is, I didn't think you did either. But..."

"A kick in the head will change your mind eh?"

"Something like that."

There was a loud knock at the door. Kara looked through it and saw Donna.

"Come in!" Kara called.

"Hi Kara, hi Clark."

"They're ready for us, we're to meet at the Coliseum for our entertainment."

Kara's face turned into a frown. "The Coliseum? I thought we were going to the hall?"

"No. We are all to meet at the Coliseum. Come on Clark, Diana is waiting for us."

The three of them left Kara's room and took to the air for the short flight.

* * *

The Themysciran Coliseum wasn't particularly big. No bigger than the high school football field back in Smallville. Of course this was much more grand than that. This was more like a small version of the Roman Coliseum, and it was filled to capacity. Once inside, Clark saw Diana standing in the in the grass at the center of the field. Her arms were crossed, and when he looked closer he saw that she had a disgusted look on her face. Looking around the stadium he found himself surprised to discover that the Amazons were quite varied ethnically. He didn't notice it the first time he was here, and for whatever reason Diana had never mentioned it to him. But with so many in one place, it was apparent that the Amazon nation had been made up of women from across the globe. He made a mental note to ask Diana about it later.

A guard approached them, speaking to Donna and Kara, not even looking at Clark. "Send the man to the center of the field. The Princess awaits him."

"Clark..." Donna began.

"I heard." He grudgingly lifted up to fly to Diana.

As soon as he was in view of all the spectators the jeers began. Booing, mixed with insults he couldn't believe.

"This isn't going to end well for me is it." Clark asked as he landed a few feet in front of Diana.

She didn't respond, she just continued to look angry.

"We have to fight don't we?"

"Yes."

"Fantastic. I said sarcastically. Why are we doing this?"

"I don't know. Mother decreed it."

"So should I just take my ass kicking like a man?"

"No. Defend yourself, just like if we were sparring."

"No problem... oh!" Before Clark could finish his sentence the sight of Diana standing in front of him changed into a view of the sky. What just happened?

Diana had just thrown a right hook that hit him square in the jaw. He crumpled to the ground in a heap. Clark heard the crowd roar as if she'd just run back a 90 yard kick return. Before Clark could react she picked him up and threw a combination of punches at him.

She wasn't punching particularly hard, and after a second it dawned on him that she was giving him the opportunity to defend himself. She didn't want him to look like a weakling, and if he was honest with himself he didn't want to look like one either.

He got his bearings and blocked a punch, knocking off her rhythm, giving him an opportunity to make a move. He threw several open handed punches to create space between them, and he grabbed her arms and threw her, sending her rolling across the ground about ten feet away. The crowd lit into him. His victory didn't last long, as Diana gracefully sprang to her feet and charged at him. The look in her eye wasn't an angry one, instead it was more playful. Which was good for him. Because angry Diana was not someone to be trifled with.

They went back and forth for the next 20 minutes or so. The crowd living and dying with each blow Diana did or didn't deliver. Clark was very wary of striking Diana, he didn't think it was a good idea to do so. So most of the session was either spent on the defensive or attempting to do professional wrestling moves, just because he thought it was funny. He was particularly proud of himself for holding Diana in a figure four leg lock.

His attempt at the sharpshooter didn't work at all, Diana simply kicked her way out of it. Nor did the suplex, which she flew out of his grasp before he could get her on the ground. None of the Amazons would recognize these as silly wrestling movies, and he wasn't sure if Diana did either, but he was having a good time trying them.

As for Diana, she thought Clark was having the best sparring sessions of his life, at least defensively. He kept his guard up dutifully, preventing her from giving an effect charge like she usually did. But he never went for a full on offensive attack, instead he kept trying to do very specific things, which she couldn't figure out. At one point he managed to get his legs tangled up with hers, bending one leg over the other and holding the back of his knee over her bent leg, which put a lot of pressure on one of her ankles. It was a little sore now. But other than that, he didn't do much.

Clark took a couple of distracting swings that forced Diana to bend forward. This was it, the move he'd been trying to do, the power bomb. While she was bent over he put his legs over the back of her head and grabbed her waist, to flip her up into the air. He was planning to slam her back onto the ground and complete the move, but Diana didn't let him.

The move flipped her over until her thighs were on either side of his head. Before he could slam her to the ground she hooked her ankles and squeezed with all her might. He fell backwards from the force.

The last time Diana wrapped her thighs around Clark's head was in the fortress, that time, she was naked, and he quite enjoyed himself. This time however was quite unpleasant. Instead of screaming in pleasure, she was crushing his head. He had no defense for this. He tried and tried to separate her legs, but it was useless.

The crowd roared when he tapped out. After a few extra seconds Diana let him go, then stood to throw her arms in the air to celebrate victory. Asking the crowd to cheer even louder.

But she when she turned to her mother's private viewing booth she scowled. She did not enjoy what she just had to do.

* * *

"Why would she do this?" Diana shouted, her voice ringing throughout the empty bath hall she was pulling Clark into. "What would that even accomplish?"

Clark didn't answer, as he knew the questions were rhetorical. Diana was upset, but not at him, so he figured he would say anything to make him the target of her displeasure.

Once inside with the door closed, Diana immediately started pulling off Clark's clothes.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"What do you think I'm doing?" She asked curtly. She made short work of his boots and pants. "Well don't just stand here. Get in! Do you want someone to walk in here and see you naked?"

Clark jumped into one of the bathing pools. Knowing full well he didn't want anyone to walk in on him. Then he watched Diana pull off her own armor, pick up a bottle from a console at the side of the room. Then leap into the pool herself.

"Here, wash up." Diana poured some of the contents of the bottle into one of his hands.

He took a sniff of the gel liquid. "Body wash?"

"Yes Clark. You don't want to go to dinner smelling bad do you?"

"Not really. You wouldn't believe how many of your sisters said I smelled bad." Clark laughed.

"They said that?"

"Oh yes. Many times over."

Diana laughed. "That's just silly."

Clark looked around, "You know, despite the fact that I'd never seen one of these bathing pools before, I did a pretty good job on the one in the fortress."

"Your right. You did." Diana never bothered to compare the two locations, but now that she was here, it was rather close. "But actually, I prefer the fortress, this water isn't hot enough."

"Ah, no it isn't."

"Damn!"

"What?"

"I forgot to get extra clothes. And towels!"

"Well that's not good at all."

"I have some in my room, we'll have to make a break for it. It won't matter if anyone sees me, but you... would cause a scene." Actually Diana thought it would be more like an uprising.

After they finished bathing, Clark followed Diana out of the pool, each of the gathered their clothes. After making sure no one could see, they shot into the sky and flew quickly back to Diana's chambers.

Coming through the same window as they did earlier they both discovered that the wind from flying had effectively dried them off. Walking in, Diana haphazardly threw her boots and armor into a pile on the floor, and indicated that he should do the same.

Diana went over to her wardrobe and opened it. Clark stood closely behind her.

"You smell really good. Whatever that body wash was, I like it."

Diana turned to face him and sniff his neck. "I don't like the way it smells on you though. It's too... feminine. You have sort of a natural man scent to you that I find I like."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah." Diana pulled out fresh packages of socks and underwear for him. But before she gave them to him to put on she stopped to get a good look at him. "You know if someone caught us like this. It would be quite a scene."

"Yeah?" He most definitely didn't want that to happen. Phillipus caught them kissing and nearly had a heart attack. Given the fact that both of them were currently naked, he would surely get run through with a magic sword if anyone caught them together doing anything.

"It's kinda sexy don't you think?" She asked with a smile.

"Not really no. I like being alive."

Diana laughed and gave him the clothes, which he hurriedly put on. She continued to give him more clothes, a pair of black slacks, a white button up shirt, and a royal blue sweater. "I was wondering where this sweater went. You stole it."

"Yes. Not only that, but I also stole these!" Diana was smiling as she held a pair of royal blue squared toe alligator shoes.

"Oh good heavens, I forgot I even had those." He threw his hands up in disgust.

"I was surprised to see them. They really aren't your style, actually they look like something The Joker would wear. Why do you have them?"

"Cat Grant gave them to me for Christmas a couple of years ago. I never wore them."

"Well you're wearing them now. So what do you think of my dress?" She pulled out a bright red dress, it looked like a dress she'd wear out to the club. It had a deep v cut down the front and a diamond looking stone at the base of the v. No matter what she wore she was a stone cold knockout.

"You'll look beautiful in it." he said as he buttoned up his shirt. While she spun around, magically wearing the dress by the time she stopped. "Yes, you look beautiful."

Diana smiled brightly.

"So what shoes are you going to wear?"

"These." She picked up a pair of red flats with a thin strap that crossed over the top of the foot. "I'm not going to wear heels here. I'll never hear the end of that."

"You've worn them before though. Haven't you?"

"I don't really wear them around you. Because for some reason, I like the fact that you're taller than me. It makes me feel... I don't know, I just like it."

It was pretty simple to Clark, she was attracted to taller men. In her mind, she was probably making it more that it was.

"So, unless mother throws another curveball, this should be dinner and dancing."

"Dancing? What kind of music is there going to be?"

"Don't worry about that." She hooked her arm under his, and they headed for the door.

"Nice baseball reference by the way." He mentioned

"You like that?"

"I do."

* * *

They floated slowly towards the hall, where they were meeting next for dinner and dancing. Diana wanted to give Clark a chance to collect himself. She knew he didn't want to fight her, and definitely not in front of everyone. He was trying to hold in his frustration at the day so far, he was making jokes, but he was really concerned about everything.

Diana also flew slowly for herself. She was furious at her mother, who just days ago claimed she was trying to accept Clark. If she was doing that, why would she set him up to be hated by the others even more than he already was? She didn't want to deal with this, all she wanted was to be with Clark, plain and simple. If her mother continued to push him away, maybe she would just walk away to be with him.

* * *

The Themysciran Hall was actually more of a large courtyard. It was surrounded by a rectangular building with pillars holding up it's roof. There was one thing he was confused about. Lined on each portion of the roof were what looked like solar panels. What was that about?

Once inside it was an open area with a very long dining table. Beyond that was an open floor which Clark guessed was for the dancing. Skipping the entrance where many were lined up to get inside, Diana flew Clark in from above, going straight to her mother.

"Mother what was that all about?" Diana shouted in anger.

"Calm yourself Diana. All will be revealed in time." Hippolyta said with a calm smile.

Phillipus on the other hand was upset that he was in the hall in the first place. "Diana you know the rules. He must be invited here!"

"I invited him!" She turned to Clark, and spoke very curtly. "Clark welcome to the Themysciran Hall." Then she turned back to her mother. "Mother, why would you make us fight? What good does any of that accomplish?"

"As I said, Princess." She used Princess with extra emphasis. "All will be revealed in time. Now sit, our meal will be served shortly."

Clark just stood in silence, looking around the hall. Confused at what he was seeing. The solar panels on the roof looked to be connected to dozens of speakers placed throughout the hall. Why would they have speakers on Themyscira? Clark was very confused.

"Come on." Diana pulled Clark to their seats near the head of the table.

Obviously Hippolyta sat at the head of the table. On one side sat Diana, Clark, and Kara. Across from them, was Phillipus, Donna and Epione. Further down the line were sisters that Diana had deemed forward thinking enough to not attack Clark during dinner. Other than that, Kara, Donna and herself were right next to him in case anyone tried anything. The Queen assured her that no one would make a move against him, but Diana wanted to be as careful as possible.

The meal was served shortly after they took their seats. Lines of women brought food of all sorts to the table. Every time something was placed before him Clark made sure to thank the woman politely. Each time he was met with a confused stare.

"You seem very insistent upon being polite, Clark Kent." Phillipus stated.

"My mother raised me to be polite to everyone I meet. She used to say 'Good manners are the best way to show others you have respect for them.' I've tried to take that to heart, and apply it to every situation I find myself in."

Diana looked around, everyone within earshot was staring at Clark intently. Assessing if he was being truthful or not. Diana purposely kept her lasso in her room, wanting to force her sisters to trust him with their own intuition.

"Your mother sounds to be a wise woman." Said Appolonia, who was sitting across from Clark, several seats away from Donna.

"The older I get, the wiser she sounds. My father too."

He hoped someone would ask something about his father, so he could talk him up a little bit, but everyone seemed to ignore that comment.

"Princess, how does one court a man? What do the two of you do?" Appolonia asked.

Diana finished her sip of wine before answering. "We do many things. Our relationship is no different than any our sisters share. We dine together quite often, we train together, we... go to the market together." She had to clarify that, because the word 'shopping' would mean nothing to them. "Among other things."

"Among other things." Appolonia mocked. "If you knew how we suffered, you would do nothing but curse this man." Clark got angry stares after that statement from several, many Amazons voiced their agreement with her statement.

"I did that. For a time my distrust kept me distant from him."

"No it didn't." Clark argued before she could continue. "You were mean to me, but you didn't keep your distance."

"What does that mean Clark?" Diana asked, almost offended.

Clark turned to speak to the others. "Of course you all know we work together in a group of world protectors. In the early days when we would gather, she would sit or stand very close to me all the time, yet if I even spoke to her she would get very angry. And if I moved to another place, she would follow me. It was both amusing, and not, at the same time."

Many at the table laughed, including Hippolyta and Phillipus. Clark figured this was a good thing, except for the fact that Diana wasn't laughing.

"That sounds like Diana." Hippolyta chuckled.

The servants brought goblets of drink for each of them. Clark thanked her, and was again met with a confused stare. She seemed almost afraid of him.

"Clark, go easy on this stuff." Kara said. "It WILL get you drunk. I learned that the hard way." Kara took a small sip from her own goblet.

"I don't know how I feel about you drinking. You do realize you're underage right?" He responded.

"Technically baby cousin, I'm 31." She took another sip.

"True, but in terms of actual conscious life, you're 5."

"True, but you don't make the rules here."

"Ok, you got me on that one." Clark conceded.

During his back and forth with Kara, he didn't notice Diana had knocked back her drink in a few gulps.

The food was fantastic, Clark was worried about some of the dishes, as he didn't know what some of them were, but since Kara was eating quite heartily, he figured he would be safe.

However the conversation, was not as easy to traverse. As it was, many eyes, down the table but out of earshot were trained on him. But he could read the topics like a book and he knew what was coming. It had shifted from what dating is like in man's world, to the culture of the world itself. But the elephant in the room was Clark and Diana's closed door activities.

"I could not imagine enjoying intimacy with a man." Said Briony, the Amazon sitting just next to Kara. "I understand being friendly with a man who can offer you shelter and protection, but to lay with him willingly? How does anyone do this Princess?"

Clark stuffed his mouth with a heaping spoonful of rice, then chewed very slowly. Everyone else stared at Diana waiting for and answer. Diana was the only one with an answer to the question, Kara and Donna knew nothing, while the others had only known abuse and brutality. Diana was the only one on the entire island who had experienced any sort of loving touch from a man. Even Epione, who once had a male friend, was interested in the answer.

That was kind of a loaded question, part of it was easy to answer part was not. "It feels good." Diana stated simply. There was a collective shock among those who heard her. Hippolyta dropped her eyes, and Phillipus cringed. Clark worried for his safety. "Some women do it simply to find physical satisfaction, and will lay with any man they choose. Others remain faithful to one lover, having families, or simply for bonding to make each other closer."

"I simply do not understand how you could submit to a man who is so powerful." Briony spoke again.

Clark craned his neck to get a good look at Briony, like all Amazons she was remarkably attractive, however she was small in stature. Sitting down, Clark guessed she was about Kara's height, who was at least 6 inches shorter than Diana. Briony also had far less muscle definition than the others. While he didn't doubt she was a fierce warrior, he didn't think she'd be on the front lines if a battle broke out now. He also noticed she was holding hands with the woman next to her.

"You saw on the battlefield, his power is comparable to my own. And I do not submit to him. We... submit to each other. Besides, were not Amazons encouraged to forge close bonds with her sisters, bonds that on the battlefield will strengthen the will to fight? It is no different between he and I."

"One can go lax about her own self protection, but never her sister or her lover." Epione said to all as if she were reading a quote.

Diana had never thought of it that way but Epione was right. Creating a physical bond with Clark had enhanced every level of their friendship. There had been no enemies to fight, but when she considered it, she would fight more fiercely to protect him when the time came again. Diana studied Clark's profile intently. Epione's words made her consider Barda's words even more.

"What of you man?" Appolonia asked.

Clark paused, not wanting to say anything. He looked around the table, and everyone looked curious as to what he would say. Most notably Hippolyta.

"Or do you let your woman speak for you?" Appolonia prodded.

"I agree with everything Diana said."

"Men are far different from women. How many others do you take to bed? All of your female colleagues perhaps?"

"No. I'm faithful only to Diana."

Appolonia laughed. "And you expect me to believe that? Come now, I have not seen a man in centuries but even I can tell you are handsome, both in face and body, and you are very aware of it. You mean to tell me you don't use your looks or your power to bring women to your feet?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you." Clark said flatly. Figuring to just go for broke. "Taking a woman to bed is no simple matter for someone like me. Other than Diana there was only one other woman, and believe me, it was not easy."

"Who was this woman?" Hippolyta asked.

"Lana, my childhood crush, just a normal human. We'd known each other since we were very small children growing up not far from each other. When we came of age it felt natural for both of us to be together, only it wasn't so simple. I'm so powerful that I could barely feel it when she touched me, when we kissed, she would lose her memory for a short while. I could give her pleasure, but she couldn't give it to me, and I still didn't care. I loved her anyway. When she left me, it was the most painful thing I'd ever experienced. What I have shared with Diana these past months, is something I never thought I could have, not just physically but emotionally as well. I would never take her for granted, or betray the trust we've created."

Clark looked around the table, all were silent, and had somewhat stunned looks on their faces. But out of the corner of his eye, he could have sworn he saw a hint of a smile on Hippolyta's face.

The rest of the meal went without incident, and personal conversations were ended. The Amazons considered his words, as they were completely unexpected. After the table was cleared and they were allowed to stand. Diana got excited, as now the dancing could begin. He may have noticed it already, but she had a surprise in store for him.

* * *

_A/N: The night will continue, this chapter was getting long, so I had to chop it into two parts. Hope to have it up soon. _


	28. Chapter 28

Diana happily skipped away from the table and disappeared behind one of the pillars. Leaving Clark confused, as his vision couldn't penetrate the pillar to see what she was doing.

"Hey woah, I can't see through the pillars." Clark looked to Kara. "Do you know what she's doing?

"Me neither. Some buildings are like that, some aren't. Must be some kind of magic." Kara stated. "And Diana specifically told me not to tell you what's going on."

"You have the same power of vision that Kara does?" Said Cressida, the Amazon who had been holding Briony's hand. Cressida, was much taller than Briony, and far more muscular. She was quite beautiful, but while most Amazons were built like bikini fitness models, Cressida looked more like an olympic powerlifter. They were quite the stark contrast, the smallest Amazon, paired with one of the biggest.

Clark groaned in frustration, the damage had been done, the look on his face answered the question for her. Cressida's face contorted to rage, and she spun around and stormed off dragging Briony with her roughly. Clark rocked his head back and stared at the sky. "That never goes well."

"What?" Kara asked.

"People finding out I have x-ray vision. When Diana first found out, she had a similar reaction." He chuckled at that memory. She spent the rest of the League meeting sitting next to him, with her arms over her chest and her legs crossed and a scowl on her face. He couldn't explain himself, as she was still getting angry when he spoke to her. In fact, the only woman who ever had a good reaction was Lois, who wanted proof by asking what color panties she was wearing.

Diana finally emerged from behind her pillar and she came skipping back to him, with a big smile on her face.

"Diana, what's with the speakers?" He asked.

"Come on!" Diana grabbed his hand and pulled him to the open floor where others had gathered but were just standing around. Diana directed him towards the center of the floor, and placed Clark's left hand on her lower back and held his right hand in the air in position to dance.

"Where's the music?" Clark queried, obviously she'd done something, but he wasn't sure what exactly.

"Wait for it." Diana instructed.

A few seconds later, music rang from the speakers placed around the hall. It was the unmistakable sound of 'As' by Stevie Wonder, a perfect song to dance to. Clark's face lit up in a surprised smile.

"Come on Clark, lead me." Diana demanded.

Clark quickly shook his head and began the moves. Two steps forward, two steps back, two spins away, and two spins back to the starting position. Diana had the happiest smile on her face, there was no way he could deny that. They quickly started moving non stop with the rhythm.

The Amazons were watching and listening in awe. They had never heard music anything like this before, and while some had seen dancing between a man and a woman, they hadn't quite seen anything like this. Some stares were angry, and some were just confused. Diana looked to be having the time of her life.

Slowly but surely, the dancefloor began to fill with more and more. Some danced alone, others in pairs. A few couples even attempted to mimic the steps that Clark and Diana were doing. Some were able to get it, others had more difficulty.

Despite the fact that this was only the third time they ever danced together Clark and Diana moved like they'd been doing this together for years. And just as each time before, they may as well have been the only people there. The rest of the world faded away, all the frustrations, all the mistrust and anger, there weren't scores of Amazons staring at them, there was just Clark & Diana.

* * *

Hippolyta and Phillipus sat together, off to the side observing others appear to enjoy themselves. Neither could deny the melodious music as both of them rocked their shoulders and nodded their heads to the rhythm.

"The music of man's world is not so intolerable." Phillipus stated.

"The music is as diverse as the people are. I heard several different styles when I visited their world. Some of it was very nice, some was not. I enjoy this tune, but could only stand it in certain moods." Hippolyta stated back.

"Your daughters seem to enjoy it very much." Phillipus noted, pointing out Diana who appeared to be having the time of her life with Clark, and Donna who was rocking her hips back and forth among a group of several others.

"Yes they do." Hippolyta noticed her friend's eyes had trained themselves on Diana. Phillipus got a somewhat disturbed look on her face. "What troubles you Phillipus?"

"This man troubles me. You say you are beginning to trust him, but I find I cannot. Despite the Princess."

"It is not an easy thing for us, trusting a man. However today he has already proven several things to me."

"Has he?"

"Yes he has. And as you once suggested to me, perhaps you should learn more about him before passing final judgement on him."

Phillipus clenched her fists and took a deep breath, the considered her friends words. "Earlier today, when I was searching for Diana. I found them locked in a kiss, Diana told me she asked him to do it, but all I could see was you, on that last night. I still sometimes have nightmares."

Hippolyta's eyes lowered, and she took several pained breaths, remembering that awful night centuries ago. She remembered it all too well, and had nightmares herself. "But this Clark Kent is not _him_." She couldn't even say the name Heracles anymore. "And I believe even you can see that."

"Yes." Phillipus admitted softly.

* * *

After several fast songs, they got slower. Forcing Clark and Diana to slow down, finally giving them a chance to talk.

"Ok so how did you do this?" Clark asked, as they stood together closely swaying slowly.

"I bought an ipod, then when you were at work I copied all the music from your computer."

"You copied all the music?" Clark asked slightly worried. "I've got some songs on my computer that wouldn't exactly be Amazon friendly."

"Yes I noticed. Some of your rap collection is horribly misogynistic, we're going to have a talk about that, but I filtered out everything I didn't want. This playlist will last for hours. By the way I didn't know you listened to country music."

"I'm from the country, why wouldn't I? Charley Pride is awesome and I don't care what anybody says."

Diana changed the subject, as she felt Clark, by making jokes was beginning to get distant again. "I'm sorry my sisters are being so aggressive with you."

"They're being aggressive? Really? And I thought I was getting off easy."

"Well, I know you don't like to talk about sex with anyone but me. Appolonia was out of line, you didn't have to answer her."

"At first I wasn't going to say anything. But if I didn't they would just go on thinking the way they do, at least now they've heard another opinion. They can come to their own conclusions now, instead of trying to solve an equation without all the variables."

"That doesn't mean they'll change their minds." She warned.

"I know that, but at least now they have a choice."

Diana leaned her head on Clark's shoulder and they danced in silence for the remainder of the song. During that time Clark took the opportunity to look around. There were many Amazons slow dancing in pairs, some were standing around staring. Others were standing in groups just talking. Some of them were talking about he and Diana, others the music, and some were talking about what their plans for tomorrow were.

Continuing to look around he noticed the women who served their meals were now sitting down themselves to eat, and none other than Hippolyta was pouring drinks for them. He liked that, that she was a gracious Queen, to serve the servants. That's just how a leader should be in his mind.

A short while later, Donna came to them with a big smile. "Diana can you help us with something?"

"What?" Diana asked.

"Something over here." She took Diana by the hand and pulled her away. "Don't worry Clark I'll have her back in a minute." Donna pulled her sister away, leaving Clark standing alone to face the stares. Now that Diana was away from him more eyes turned to him, perhaps worried what he might do now that she wasn't right there.

Clark decided to see about getting himself something more to drink when from behind him someone tapped his shoulder. "Clark Kent, would you mind teaching me those dance steps?"

Clark turned around and was shocked to see that it was Phillipus had just asked him to dance. Given the reaction she had earlier to he and Diana in her room he figured she'd be the last one to ask him anything.

"Or do you only dance with Diana? She queried.

"Oh no it's fine. I'm sure she won't mind." Clark took her right hand in his and placed on his other hand on her back, a bit higher than he would if he were dancing with Diana.

"So, the slow dance is not that difficult, traditionally the man leads, and the woman follows."

"And why does the man lead?" She asked.

"I don't know, it's just how my mother taught me."

Phillipus caught on quickly, she got in tune after just a few steps.

* * *

Diana, now finished with her ridiculous request to describe pizza to Donna's friends, turned to look for Clark. She expected he would be at the table where extra food had been set out, but she was utterly shocked to see him dancing with Phillipus of all people. She could see that they were talking, and she looked rather calm. Which she hadn't been when she caught them kissing or while eating dinner. Deciding not to end something that could potentially help his cause, Diana headed to get something more to drink.

Clark and Phillipus finished their dance, and Diana moved to return to him. But as soon as Phillipus left, another came to him and asked to dance. Part of Diana wanted him to refuse, but part of her was happy that some of her sisters were opening up to him enough that they would be willing to touch him. So she stayed back and refilled her drink, letting the strong and fruity taste roll around on her tongue. She couldn't see the face of the sister who was dancing with him, but based on her height Diana assumed it was Briony.

"You're not using your eyes to look through my clothes are you?" Briony asked uncertainly, as she engaged in the dance with Clark.

"No. I don't do that." He assured.

She was still somewhat concerned he might be, but chose not to dwell on the possibility. "Not even to Diana? Surely she... allows it?"

"We never talked about it, but no I still don't." Given the way they woke up every morning, he didn't need to anyway. "I'm a little surprised you would ask to dance."

"Given my questions earlier? I was simply curious. It will not cause problems between you and Diana will it? I surely don't want her angry with me."

"No it's fine, if it was a problem she would have said something by now." He looked over to where Diana was standing alone. "Besides, she getting her drink on over there."

Briony looked to the ground, as she had several times already. Both her face and her heartrate told Clark she was extremely nervous.

"So where is your uh... girlfriend?"

"Cressida? My lover? She is somewhere." Briony looked around ruefully, unable to see over everyone around them. "I just wanted to know what it was like, to be shown kindness by a man. I thank you, I've never known such a thing."

It was difficult for Clark to take that. He'd heard it several times already, mostly from the servants who were surprised when he was polite to each of them. But now standing in front of someone who was thanking him, just let him further know what was happening tonight. He was angry for them, that they had to suffer so much, it's a good thing Heracles wasn't around now, because Clark felt like beating him senseless.

"I must go." Briony quickly said after another glance around, and without another word she quickly ran away. She ran in the opposite direction of where she looked, and Clark quickly figured it out. She had seen Cressida.

* * *

Diana was on probably her 9th drink of the night, and really didn't care. She was still furious with her mother, but since Hippolyta was now socializing with the crowd she couldn't really confront her about it. She was also somewhat angry at Clark, as he'd found yet another dance partner. It was probably the alcohol, but for whatever reason she didn't feel like confronting him either. So she just refilled her goblet again.

Clark had grown tired of giving dance lessons. If he was going to continue with that, he wanted Diana as his partner, but he could not find her for anything. He couldn't see her, hear her voice or pick out her heartbeat which was odd. He wondered if she'd left the hall, he was about to ask Donna when Hippolyta grabbed his arm.

"Clark Kent I wish to speak with you." She said. "And do not worry, I am not angry with you. Come with me, let us talk."

* * *

This was probably the third time in her life Diana had too much to drink. She knew she had too much, and as she refilled her goblet, she still didn't care. She had finally begun enjoying herself, socializing with the crowd. Telling them about all the fun enjoyable things she and Clark did, and how much she enjoyed sitting around and doing nothing with him. This was far better than her nightclub trip with Shannon. Probably because she was with her family, and also because she didn't hear any lame pickup lines.

She was in the middle of telling Mala about the clothes women wore in man's world when she saw her mother engaged in conversation with Clark. Her mother looked incredibly serious, and Clark looked to be completely floored by whatever she was saying. Diana wished she had the ability to hear as well as Clark did, because the conversation looked important. But she just continued on with Mala, figuring Clark would tell her later.

* * *

Clark was completely shocked by what had Hippolyta just said, he was shocked not only because she said it, but also because he was the first one to know. As Hippolyta left the hall to retire for the night Clark just stood motionless. He needed to find Diana.

Still unable to locate her, he resorted to asking. It took several minutes, but eventually someone pointed her out to him. Now that he knew where she was, he figured out at least in part why he couldn't find her before. Her heartbeat was drastically different than usual and the cadence of her speech had changed. As he approached he realized she'd been drinking. A lot, which was probably the cause of the changes.

"Hey stud, I was just thinking about you." Diana said once he got close, completely forgetting Mala. "Let's get out of here."

"Ok, I guess we can do that, but you wouldn't believe what your mother just told me."

"I don't want to talk about her. Kiss me." She leaned up and held her mouth against his, but she didn't make any type of action with her lips. She just stood there.

"Oh wow. You're drunk." He put his hands on her shoulders and held her at arms length.

"What? No I'm not. You're drunk"

"How many of these have you had?" Clark reached for the goblet in her hand, but she didn't let him take it. In fact she yanked it out of his hand spilling half of it.

"I'm tired of this party. Let's just go home and just rip into each other. I need it." She put her free hand on his belt buckle and tried to push her fingers in his pants, until he grabbed her wrist. "Come on stop it Clark! I want to."

"Not here." He warned.

"Where then? I want you ins..."

"Diana! I'm trying to tell you something important right now."

"Well I don't care!" She shouted, causing many to turn and look at them curiously. "I'm ready to go, and I don't want to talk!"

She downed the last of her drink and jumped into his arms. "Now take me home."

"You two leaving?" Donna rushed up to them.

"Yes!" Diana shouted.

"I guess so." Clark answered calmly.

Donna looked at the way her sister just slumped in Clark's arms. "Wow Diana you've had way too much to drink."

"And?" Diana replied combatively.

"Has this happened before?" Clark asked.

"Once or twice, she'll do whatever she wants for the rest of the night. After she gets some sleep she'll be fine." Donna answered.

"She won't be sick or anything will she?"

"Oh no. She'll be perfectly fine in the morning."

"Stop talking to her! Kiss me!" Diana shouted loudly right in Clark's ear, and licking the side of his face.

"What was that about?" Clark asked about the lick, that was just weird.

"I just wanted to taste you. Now get us out of here, and then you can taste me." Diana said seductively.

Donna got a slightly disturbed look on her face after her sister's words. There are just some things a person doesn't need to know.

"Just get her out of here Clark. Don't worry about us." Donna said, motioning her hands for him to take to the air.

"Come on slowpoke!" Diana called, then she threw her goblet at Donna, who caught it out of sheer self protection. After nearly being taken out by a metal wine goblet, Donna was quite happy Clark was taking her sister away, because Diana was a handful when she was drunk.

They had broken the barrier of Themyscira and were flying towards Metropolis. Diana had started out kissing his neck and cheek, and nibbling seductively on his ear.

"Let's do it right now! Just like our first time!" She moved so that she was underneath him horizontally, but still held onto him as she didn't feel like doing the necessary work to sustain flight on her own.

"We're almost to my apartment. Just relax." He said.

"Are you going to take care of me tonight?"

"Yes I am."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Clark landed them on the balcony, by now Diana had been grinding her hips into his for a few minutes. Immediately upon entering the apartment Diana kicked off her shoes and went toward the bedroom. Beckoning Clark to follow.

He took his time entering the bedroom and found a beautiful sight before him when he did. Diana was lying seductively on the bed waiting for him.

"Come on, you said you'd take care of me." Diana called.

"That I did."

Clark was in a dilemma, a serious dilemma. On one hand, Diana was ready and willing, and there was no red blooded man, Kryptonian or otherwise who would pass that up. On the other hand she was drunk, and if she had regrets in the morning she would be extremely angry, and make him pay dearly. Then again, she could get angry at him for rejecting her too. For the first time in his life, he actually regretted being a gentlemen. He told her he would take care of her, but hadn't defined what 'take care' actually meant.

Clark sat on the bed with this back to Diana while he took off his clothes. He did so very slowly, giving himself time to consider his next actions. He'd removed his sweater and button up shirt, and undone his pants, when he stood up to remove them he turned slightly and saw that Diana was fast asleep.

Problem solved, he thought.

* * *

Diana woke up the next morning with a startle, initially she wasn't sure where she was, until it hit her that she was back in Clark's apartment. The moment of panic subsided quickly. But if she was in Clark's bed, where was he? She looked down and noticed that just as every morning she woke up with him, her top had been removed, but this time his hands weren't in their usual resting place. She suddenly found she was disappointed about that.

Turning over she was met by a wide awake Clark, who was sitting up next to her, reading a magazine. "Good morning."

"Afternoon." He corrected.

"Oh, what time is it?"

"2:21."

"Woah, I slept for a while. What a night."

"You have no idea."

"I can't believe mother would do that. I can't believe any of them would do that. If nothing I thought they would respect me."

"All things considered, it's not so bad. How much do you remember from last night?"

"Everything. I don't black out when I drink."

"Oh, so only when you're sleeping?"

"When I'm sleeping? What did I do?"

"I've never seen you drunk before so I didn't know how you'd act. I've been up all night just to make sure you're okay."

"Oh, thank you, but that wasn't necessary."

"No it wasn't, but I did learn something. Has anyone ever told you that that you talk in your sleep?"

"No."

"I see, well you do. When your little night time habit returned," Clark pointed to her chest. "You literally told me where you wanted me to touch you."

"I did?"

"Yep, I tried talking back but you were totally out of it. However I did indulge you, for quite a while actually. Again, I'm never going to complain about that."

"Don't even worry about it. It's just one of those weird quirks, I won't even let it get to me anymore." Diana sat up in bed herself, and kissed Clark's shoulder before leaning her head on it. "Last night, you said you had something unbelievable to tell me. What was it?"

"Oh I certainly do have something to tell you." Clark began.

"Wait a minute!" Diana cut him off. "You promised you were going to take care of me last night!"

Clark paused, he did say that, but what he had to say now was even more important. "I did take care of you."

"That wasn't what I meant Clark and you know it." Diana moved back down on the bed so she was laying on her back. "Talking can wait, I wanted this all night."

The part of Clark's brain that wanted to tell her the big news he had was quickly outvoted by the rest of his brain, and more importantly his body, which wanted desperately to make love to Diana.

As the springs on his mattress died a most noble death, Clark agreed that whatever he had to say could indeed wait.

* * *

_A/N: What did Hippolyta tell Clark? Why did Briony run away so abrubptly? Find out soon, hopefully in a couple of days._


	29. Chapter 29

After a highly satisfying lovemaking session, Clark and Diana showered and dressed. Clark put on his usual loungewear, shorts and a t-shirt, and Diana put on the last clean clothes she had in his apartment, a pair of workout shorts and a sports bra. When she exited the closet, he had the mattress leaning against the wall.

"What's the damage?" She asked of the mattress.

"This thing is done for, the springs are shot to hell. I'll have to get another one. But I will say this; it died a hero."

Diana laughed. "Well, in the meantime we can sleep in my bed."

"Cool. But on a good note, everything else seems to be intact." He pointed to the the undamaged bed frame and floor.

Diana smiled at him slyly, "We'll need to work on that."

"We will." He was quite looking forward to it too.

That was now settled, Diana knew the next thing was going to be whatever news Clark had to give her. She knew it was big, but was slightly afraid she wouldn't like it, which is why she stalled him until now. Clearly the bed wouldn't handle any more stalling so she finally asked. "So. Now that we've both been taken care of. Please tell me, what is this big information that you've wanted to tell me so badly?"

"Oh yes. You should come and sit down for this one." He lead her into the living room where the sat closely together on the couch. "Are you ready for this one? Because it's a doozy."

Diana took a deep breath, preparing herself for anything. "Let's have it."

* * *

**LAST NIGHT**

Clark had grown tired of giving dance lessons. If he was going to continue with that, he wanted Diana as his partner, but he could not find her for anything. He couldn't see her, hear her voice or pick out her heartbeat, which was odd he thought could pick her out of anyplace. He wondered if she'd left the hall, he was about to ask Donna when Hippolyta grabbed his arm.

"Clark Kent I wish to speak with you." She said. "And do not worry, I am not angry with you. Come with me, let us talk."

"Ok." He followed her to a set of empty chairs, and listened intently as he spoke.

"Your cousin, Kara, she may be released into your care at any time. She has had the control to live in your world for some time now, it had been mainly my daughter's friendship that kept me from releasing her. She needs to have the opportunity to learn on her own, and to know her family. I wish for her to do that."

"Great, I know she likes it here, but she's been looking forward to seeing the rest of the world. She was just telling me earlier she didn't have it in her to be an Amazon." Clark joked.

"She doesn't." Hippolyta stated flatly. "There are many aspects to our culture that she did not enjoy. However, she is allowed to visit at any time. She and Donna have become very close."

"Yes they have. I'm sure she'll be thrilled, before I tell her though I'll get everything set up so she can move as soon as possible."

"Of course, I realize there are legal matters involving her presence in your world. You may have all the time you require for that. However there is more I have to say." She paused and took a deep breath. "I know that Diana is angry with me tonight. No doubt she believes that I have invited you here to undermine your relationship somehow by turning the Amazons against you. I can assure you, that is not the case."

"Ok." Clark raised and eyebrow.

"I told you before I left your parents homestead, that I would give you opportunity to earn my trust. Today was one of those opportunities, and I must say, you have done remarkably well."

"Is that right?"

"Indeed. But you must understand, that in order to truly become Diana's mate, you must be accepted by not only me, but the Amazons as well. If you are not accepted, Diana will be further ostracized from our culture, thus weakening her influence in the outside world greatly. Hippolyta paused briefly to consider her words. "An Amazon's strength comes not only from her own will, but the will of her sisters. We are strong because we are united, but the moment we divide, we lose everything. That is what happened to us all those years ago."

Clark just listened in silence, he could feel something important coming.

"The demigod Heracles and his followers, came to us in peace. They wished to join our city, offering us a chance to share all aspects of our lives. Until that time, none of us had known anything of kindness from men in our lives, it was that shared experience that led us to forming our own city in the beginning. When they came to us with with gifts and promises of peace, some accepted them readily, others did not. I was among those who accepted them, and as Queen I allowed them to stay with us, even while others protested. As the Amazon society divided, Heracles revealed his true desire." Hippolyta's voice began to crack. She usually worked hard to keep the worst memories at bay, now for the first time she had to explain them.

"They used the our greatest strength against us. Our bonds to each other. We were forced to watch the humiliation of those who were closest to us. We were powerless to stop the torture of our dearest friends, sisters, even lovers."

Clark's eyes traveled across the room, he hurt for all of them. He couldn't imagine anything like what each of them has experienced. Hippolyta's words were stark contrast to the joy that he was seeing on their faces today.

"The goddesses came to our aid, and freed us from our captors, giving us this place to live in peace. Only I have recently learned that we do not have peace, not truly, because we have had no healing. Which brings me to you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you." Hippolyta looked him in the eye. "Did Diana ever tell you of the first time she spoke of you to me?"

"Not really." She told him her mother didn't like that they were friends that that she should not trust him.

"She told me that you were the example for all, both men and women. The light to show the way, and that following your example, we can all achieve greatness. For a long time I could not believe her, that is until I saw where you come from. Met the people who raised you, then I truly understood. That the things you do, you do not do them simply because you can, but because it is who you are. Weather it is your natural birthright from your homeworld, or this world that influenced you remains to be seen, but the truth cannot be denied. I had you and Diana battle each other because I knew that you would not try to hurt her. But also that you would not lay down like a coward, the Amazons needed to see a real man. Who can respect those who deserve it, and stand up to those who don't. They needed to see a man who did not want to control or humiliate them, but one who wants to live in harmony with everyone. They needed to see a man who could do whatever he wanted without consequence, but chooses not to give in to selfish desires. They needed to see a man who they did not need to fear. And tonight, they have and you have allowed them to open their minds to the possibility of change, but they must see even more. More men that follow your example, not out of fear, or coercion, but out of their own free will."

Clark was stunned. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Yes. Themyscira will be opened to the world. We cannot hide any longer. We must join Diana in her mission, as only then, with the strength of all her sisters with her can she truly achieve her goals. No longer will we live in fear and ignorance. The time for change is upon us, and it is you who has shown me this."

"Wow, I don't even know what to say."

Hippolyta laughed, "You do not have to speak now. Just know that we must rely on your guidance to assist us through this."

"Diana will be thrilled, not only will I help, all of my colleagues will as well. We all know how important this is to Diana. I just can't figure out why you're telling me first."

"Because I believe she will want to hear it from you."

"I see. I'm honored, that you put your trust in me to help you with this."

"I thought you would be." She stated, noting how humble he was being.

"Clark Kent, I bid you farewell. I will retire for the evening." Hippolyta stood to walk away, but turned at the last second. "Also, my parting words from our first meeting... Never forget them."

Clark wasn't surprised to be reminded of those parting words, but he was completely floored by what the Queen revealed. As Hippolyta left the hall to retire for the night Clark just stood motionless.

* * *

**TODAY**

Diana sat in shock for several minutes after he finished telling Diana what her mother said, she sat still so long Clark wondered if something had happened to her. "Diana?"

"Clark! You did it! We did it! I can't believe this!" Diana jumped for joy, then hugged and kissed Clark. "I've got to tell Julia, we've got to tell the backers, the government, everyone! You don't know how much I've wanted this."

Actually he did know. In their early friendship days, she vented her frustrations about her mother's stubbornness to him many times. When she was ready to give up on her mother, he always encouraged her to keep trying. At the time he had no idea that he himself would be the catalyst for the reveal of Themyscira.

"And Kara, she gets to come home too! When is she coming? Where will she live?" Diana asked excitedly.

"While you were sleeping, I put in a call and got Ollie working on it. Hopefully my parents will take her in, at least for now. Otherwise she'll have to stay here." As much as he loved Kara, his only living relative, he didn't want her living here. Not with Diana around, he really hoped his parents would step up to the plate for him.

"That's wonderful. I'm so happy. I have to get back, to speak with mother, and my sisters. I can't wait." Diana jumped for joy again, and kissed him again. "I'll be back sometime tonight. Then we can talk more, ok?"

"Sounds good."

"And don't tell anyone got it? I want to be the one to tell the league."

"No problem. Hey bring back my suit."

"Ok." She remembered that he left his Superman suit in her room on the island, in a pile with her armor. Which she spun around and called back to her.

"Woah, you can get my suit like that?" He asked, seeing her in her armor.

"No, I'll have to bring it back, which I promise I will tonight." She floated out the balcony door, and then took of like a jet, flying as fast as Clark has ever seen her.

* * *

Diana zoomed towards the ocean where Themyscira was located. She joyfully twisted and turned through the air. She couldn't believe this had happened, to go from being furious at her mother to unbelievably happy was quite the turnaround.

Her feet never touched the ground after she broke the barrier, she went straight to the palace. As she arrived, the session between the elders had just ended, so Diana just walked in to where her mother was still seated.

"Mother is this really happening? You're really going to join the rest of the world?" Diana was still partly in shock, she was operating on happiness alone.

"Yes child. While your world is a peace, the time is right."

"But why tell Clark and not me?" Diana stopped just in front of her mother's throne.

"I thought he would know best how to tell you the news, he would know how to keep you from doing something too impulsive. Plus, last night you consumed too much drink did you not?"

"Yes. Wait, I didn't even see you last night, how did you know?"

"Donna informed me that you nearly beheaded her with a goblet, and that Clark took you home. I hope you did not cause him too much trouble, you get quite out of hand when you are intoxicated. Hopefully you did not destroy anything as you tend to do"

Diana smiled guiltily, she had broken something, but that couldn't be helped. "No-no I was no trouble at all, I fell right, um, asleep once he got me to bed."

Hippolyta frowned, Diana was stumbling through her sentence again. There was something she was trying to hide. However she decided she was better off not knowing what Diana didn't want to reveal.

After a short pause Diana spoke again. "Thank you for this Mother."

"Do not thank me. Thank your Clark."

"Why him?"

"If it were not for him, this would not have happened. My eyes may never have been opened to the truth that you have tried to convince me of. I needed proof that the world could change, and so did our sisters."

"Ironic that it took a man from another world to convince you." Diana stated.

"Yes indeed, but I believe that is why our eyes were opened. He has the power of a god, yet last night he was not feared as one."

"No." Diana recalled all the dancing he did. That only meant they were seeing something in him that that they didn't fear.

"Our sisters have been informed of my decision. There is protest, but it will not change my mind. Last time I brought men into our lives it was a mistake that forced us to isolate ourselves. Now by returning to the world once again I will rectify that mistake. This time, we will not fail."

"We will not fail." Diana repeated. Then something occurred to her. "That's why you made us fight! You knew he would restrain himself, you wanted to prove to everyone that he would. This was a setup from the beginning?"

"And the last runner finishes the race." The Queen joked.

Diana couldn't help but laugh lightly.

"What assistance will you need from me?" Hippolyta continued.

"I think first we should invite members of the Justice League. Then select members of the public. Reporters, historians, supporters of my foundation. Eventually politicians and the lot, but they'll be last to visit."

"Are there female politicians?"

"Yes. I told you this, only they're just as untrustworthy as the men. Which is why they will be last, no doubt they will try to take everything good in our world and try to use it for selfish gain."

"You do not have a high opinion of politicians do you?"

"No really. Well, there is one in particular I dislike. But I digress, we will begin with the Justice League, I believe we will bring the females, and their partners."

"Very well, I will inform all."

"Oh, one other thing mother. I need you to inform everyone that they must begin saying Superman instead of Clark. I do not know how long it will be before we're revealed to the world, but we must protect his family. If word got out of his true identity, and even mine, innocents would be in grave danger."

"Very well." Hippolyta understood that, she wouldn't want the Kents to be hurt because of her knowledge of them.

* * *

After speaking with her mother, Diana began the journey back to Metropolis. She was flying over the coast when she saw something odd in the corner of her eye. Down on the ground, near the shore was a lone figure lying on the ground. Diana worried that one of her sisters had been injured so she flew down to offer assistance.

On the ground Diana saw that the woman wasn't laying there injured, she was crying. Which was an odd sight for an Amazon, as they never cried anymore. As she got closer she saw that this sister was tall, and muscular, more so than many of her sisters, she immediately knew who it was.

"Cressida? Are you alright?" Diana asked gently.

Cressida hadn't notice Diana's presence and was startled by her voice. She was also embarrassed to be caught crying, and immediately wiped her tears away. "Please go away!"

"Why are you crying? Do you need help?"

"No." She sobbed.

"What is wrong? Please tell me."

Cressida didn't think Diana would understand, but decided to try anyway. "I did something horrible, and it's your fault!"

"My fault, what happened?"

"Your stupid man happened!"

"What did he do?"

"Briony! He's turned her against me! We were together for nearly a century but one night near a man and she wants nothing to do with me." Cressida's tears returned, she couldn't contain herself any longer. "Now your mother wants to bring more to our shores."

"Oh sister I am so sorry." Diana moved to rub Cressida's shoulder,

"Can you not see it Diana? How men have torn us apart? It's happening again. Do not touch me!" Cressida stood up. "Leave me alone!"

Cressida ran, Diana did not follow, but she did wonder what sort of horrible thing Cressida could have done. Perhaps Briony could shed light on the situation. So Diana went back to the city to ask where to find her, the first person she asked directed her to the healing isle.

Diana barged into the room where she was told Briony was, she was shocked to see her being treated by Epione with a purple fist sized bruise near her right eye. Briony was too crying, probably not from the pain, but from the situation itself.

Diana tried to get Briony to talk, but she said even less than Cressida did. Diana surmised that it had something to do with Briony's dancing with Clark last night, and that led somehow to Cressida lashing out physically. Without all the answers Diana couldn't do anything to help, it seemed neither of them wanted her to help.

* * *

"This is going to be harder than I expected." Diana said, after she'd returned to her apartment a few hours later. She and Clark were having dinner.

"You thought it would be easy?"

"Well no, but I didn't think any of my sisters would go to this. How could Cressida just hit Briony like that? And why would Briony just leave her?"

"Not that it matters, but which came first? Getting dumped, or the punch?" He asked as he piled baked ziti onto his plate.

"I think Briony ended their relationship, then Cressida turned violent."

"Hmm. Not all of your sisters get together with each other do they?"

"No. Many do not." Probably the majority didn't.

"Well, I have a theory, that even with all she had to suffer through, when it comes down to it, Briony is still into guys."

Diana got a confused look. "I don't know about that, they've been together for almost a hundred years."

"Yeah, but for them that's a relatively short time." Clark began, "It looked to me that Cressida kind of ran things there, at one point she just yanked Briony away from me. Then when we were dancing, as soon as she saw Cressida she ran away."

"That doesn't explain why she would turn violent. Or why you would think Briony is attracted to men."

"Just look at those two, Briony is really little, and Cressida is not only tall, but she's muscular too. She doesn't look manly at all, but physically she's a close as you're going to get on Themyscira. It's possible that out of sheer loneliness she went to Cressida, but in the end she's still into men."

Diana thought about it, he had a point, but it was still a shot in the dark. "Ok maybe that's true, but that doesn't prove anything."

"I never said it did, there's no harm in brainstorming. However it might explain why after 80 something years why they would break up now of all times."

Diana rested her elbows on the table and put her head in her hands. "An Amazon's strength comes from her unity with her sisters, this just proves we're more divided than ever. Cressida is not alone in her protest of my mother's decision. How can we do this now?"

"I think that's your job. Remember a long time ago when you told me you were created for a purpose?"

"Yes?"

"Maybe this is your purpose, to bring everyone together when they feel most apart. You're the light to show them the way."

"That's what I said about you." She said ruefully.

"Maybe that's the purpose for both of us." Clark thought that maybe they were supposed to do it together, but something kept him from saying it out loud. "This is what you've always wanted."

"I know, and this morning I was so excited about it. But this is just a microcosm of the challenges I'm facing. Nearly half of the Amazons are still against this."

"Then it's up to you to change their minds. And I promise, you won't be alone."

Diana smiled and reached across the table to hold his hand. He was always so good at cheering her up.

Clark and Diana spent the rest of the quiet evening in her apartment. By the time they went to bed Diana was feeling much better about the future, something about sleeping in his arms made her feel like everything would be alright.

* * *

"Morning Smallville, did you have a good weekend?" Lois said happily as she strode into the office and sat down at her desk.

"I had a very good weekend. How about you?"

"I worked, but it wasn't so bad. I got a story going out today."

"Oh alright. So, any progress on your baby idea."

Lois got an alarmed look on her face and made the 'kill' signal with her hands at her neck. Quickly getting up to stand close to him. "We're not talking about that in public."

"Oh, sorry."

"Don't worry about it, I don't think I told you to be quiet about it."

"Ok, but it's been awhile since you first brought it up. You still haven't found a solution?"

"No, that's the thing. Hold on a second." Lois went to her desk and pulled her chair so she could sit close to him and speak quietly. "I refuse to get some anonymous donor, out of fear that I'll get some guy who is 5'5 and went bald as a teenager. Adoption takes forever and is unbelievably difficult for a single woman. Then there's the idea of me finding someone I like, but the problem is, I can't even get a date anymore."

"I'm sure it isn't that bad."

"It is that bad, I went down the list of potential candidates, and I came up with you and Jimmy. I mean come on, what does that say about me?"

"Lois, if this is truly what you want, you'll figure it out."

Lois smiled wryly. "You know, this is what I truly want, but I have no idea how to get it."

* * *

Everything perked up when Diana walked into the offices of the Wonder Women Foundation, she was rarely here anyway, but there was something different about her. She walked with a deliberate pace that spoke of something important. She gave friendly waves and smiles to all the women working in the office, but nothing could break her gait. Diana walked straight into the big office, which had been set up with two desks, one very large desk for Julia Kapatelis who was in the office constantly handling the day to day operations of the foundation. Diana had a much smaller desk for the rare time she spent working.

It was getting late, Julia was shutting down the computer and preparing to leave for the night when the door opened up and Diana strode in. "Diana what a surprise to see you." Julia said brightly.

"Julia I have big news." Diana smiled.

"What is it?"

"My mother is going to open up Themyscira. And I want you to be among the first visitors."

Julia's jaw dropped. "Me? I can't believe this!"

"Believe it." Diana said with a smile.


	30. Chapter 30

Ollie got Kara's ID settled in just a few days, even faster than Bruce did for Diana. Now she, Clark and Diana sat in the Kent living room in Smallvillle. Going over everything that was necessary in order for her to stay.

"My name is Kara Zora Ellis, I'm 16 years old, entering my junior year at Smallville High School. I have lived in several foster homes across the country in my lifetime, and spent the last year studying abroad in Greece. The adopted parents of my only known relative, Clark Kent, have volunteered to take me in while I finish school."

"You got it." Clark said as she finished reciting the basics of her background.

"Wonderful, Kara you are more than welcome to stay here. In fact I'm happy to have you." Martha beamed, glad to finally have a girl around the house.

"Thank you... Aunt Martha." Kara was going to have to get used to calling her that.

"You know, you two kind of look alike." Jonathan observed, looking at Clark and Kara sitting next to each other on the couch.

"We do?" Clark asked, turning to look at Kara, who was in turn looking at him.

"Yes you do." Diana added, who was also sitting on the couch on the other side of Clark.

"So Kara, why don't I show you where you'll be sleeping." Martha said standing up to head upstairs.

"Ok." Kara followed, leaving Clark, Diana and Jonathan alone in the living room.

"So how are things with you two?" Jonathan asked.

"Good for now, but should be getting crazy soon." Clark answered.

"Why crazy?"

Diana chimed in, "My mother is opening up Themyscira to the world."

"Oh wow." Jonathan was a little bit shocked, he didn't think Hippolyta was that open minded.

"And of course I have to be on the front lines of all this." Clark complained.

"You said you would help me Clark!" Diana argued, he'd been sulking about the role he'd have to play, he'd been asked to serve as some sort of quasi-ambassador for the Amazons.

"How are you planning on doing that? They're just going to leave and that'll be it?"

"Oh no. There's very much we have to do, before that. It could be up to a year before any Amazon leaves the island. For now we're not even telling the government." Diana answered.

Upstairs, Martha was showing Kara where to store her clothes.

"Certain things you'll want to hang up. Right now the closet is full of Clark's clothes, but since you'll be staying for an extended period of time I'll get them out of here."

"Ok." Kara said simply.

"How much do you have in terms of clothes?" Martha queried.

"Not much for now. Just this pair of jeans and shirt really. Other than that it's just the things from Themyscira. Diana said we would go shopping in Metropolis this weekend, she said I needed outfits for school."

"Yes you will." Martha noticed that Kara was looking around at the furniture, and the stars stuck on the ceiling. "You're welcome to change the furniture around, and get rid of the stars."

"I kind of like it. It's comforting."

"So you're like Clark? With the symmetry?"

"Uh huh." Kara shook her head yes. "We all were. It's logical."

Martha frowned pensively. "Clark said that you were older than him?"

"Yes, four years. I even remember when he was born."

Martha smiled at that, then asked something she always wondered about. "What was his mother like? Do you remember anything?"

Kara stopped to think, "Not much, I was just a little girl. But I do remember one time, she held him and just cried and cried. I remember because I didn't understand why she was so sad."

Martha's eyes dropped. Something in her always hurt for Jor-El and Lara, because they couldn't know the joy that their son was.

Downstairs, Clark tuned out Diana and his father's conversation, he wanted to hear what Kara remembered about his mother. The story she told was nothing he'd ever heard before, and it answered something he always wanted to know, did his parents have an emotional connection to him? The memory crystals never indicated that they did, but Kara's memory proved otherwise. It gave him a good feeling to know that his birth mother did indeed love him.

After a nice family dinner in which Clark truly felt how welcome Kara was in his parents home, he and Diana took off for the Watchtower. There was a meeting scheduled tonight, and Diana was planning to tell the others about her plans for Themyscira's reveal.

* * *

As the Watchtower's conference room filled up her excitement rose. Even as the others sulked at their boredom.

"What are we even here for?" Wally complained. "We all know, nobody's busy except Bruce. I swear we can do this with a phone call. Not even that, we can just text each other."

"He's actually right." Shayera agreed, her mace and helmet were nowhere in sight. It was quite rare those ever left her side.

"Well, I've got something." Diana began. "Something that I'll ask for everyone's help with."

The room perked up, some action might be good for morale.

"My mother has recently informed me, that Themyscira will soon be revealed to the world."

"Woah really?" Dinah spoke first. Her question was then echoed across the room by many of the others. "How did you convince her?"

"I didn't. Actually, it was Clark."

"Wait, dude you went to the island?" Wally jumped up, looking directly at Clark. Hal perked up too. "When?"

"A couple of days ago." Clark said stoically.

A flurry of questions came Clark's way, 'Were they all as hot as Diana? Or 'Was it everything I dreamed of?' or 'How much girl on girl action was there?' There were several others mixed in, but those were the ones he picked out from the jumbled words. All voiced by Hal and Wally.

"I've actually been twice, and while I didn't have a bad time, I did have an arrow shot at my head. And I received MANY death threats. I don't think you'd enjoy it there. You're much better off doing your club thing."

"And I'm still mad at you for doing that man. You just totally killed the room, if you would have stayed then maybe..."

"Shut up Wally!" Zatanna jumped in. "Haven't I told you, if he's there, you won't see a girl?"

Wally didn't really know what to say, at this point he was just running his mouth. Diana on the other hand was glad that Zatanna was holding hands with John Henry as she spoke. She had way too many good things to say about Clark, it was very annoying.

"Anyway! Diana, what's your plan?" Dinah chimed in again.

"At some point soon I want to bring all of you to Themyscira. I'll start with the women, then I'll invite your boyfriends to come with you. I think for right now any man who visits should be with his partner just to keep my sisters from getting too upset. Clark is accepted by some, but anyone else will be treated like a second class citizen."

"Fifth class." Clark added, catching a frown from Diana.

"So that means John Henry and Ollie you'll be invited very soon." Diana looked over at Bruce, but didn't say anything to him. Making it quite clear that Selina wasn't invited.

"Could I bring a date?" Hal asked.

"No." Diana said sharply, "Only those who are invited will be allowed to visit."

"Is there anything else?" The Batman asked in his usual bogarting way.

Everyone looked at each other, with nothing to say.

"Then meeting over." The Batman stood and strode out the door. The others began to leave as well.

"Hey Clark did you get your cousin squared away?" Ollie asked.

"Yeah I did, thanks for that." Actually Clark was quite thankful, Ollie got the paperwork finished for Kara much faster than Bruce did for Diana. It appears Ollie is the new ID guy.

* * *

After work the next day Clark was to meet Diana in Washington DC, at her foundation headquarters. They were taking Julia Kapatelis for a trip to Themyscira, it wouldn't be so bad were it not for two things. He'd have to walk through an office filled with women, and then he'd have to do a very undesirable task on an island with all women. When he'd rather just watch baseball.

Diana sat in the office she shared with Julia as they waited for Superman to arrive. Julia predicted that all the women outside would get loud and excited when he walked through the door. Diana kept quiet but was inclined to agree with her, he had that effect on women.

Sure enough five minutes later the volume outside got loud and excited. Diana opened the door to the office to call him in. While she watched him walk through the office Diana saw a completely different person. While he was friendly and cordial, he held no resemblance to the passionate lover she'd come to know. He was the cold logical alien again. Superman was such a stark contrast to the man he truly was, she wondered how she could have been attracted to him in the early days. This act held no appeal to her whatsoever, but in the end she supposed it would be a good thing. With Julia around she couldn't act like he was her boyfriend, and since the alien was such a turn off, it allowed her to focus.

"Are you ready?" He asked with an emotionless face.

"Superman, you're allowed on the island?" Julia asked, slightly in awe of being in his presence for the first time.

"When I'm invited." He said.

"He and I have worked together on this. He has been and will continue to be instrumental in helping my sisters learn to live in harmony with the modern world. It's the main reason I moved to Metropolis in the first place." Diana told Julia. Which was more or less true, she originally moved to try to learn about the world so that in turn she would better know how to improve it, now she would use what she's learned to help her sisters adapt. There was also the relationship with Clark, which she had wanted with or without going to Metropolis, now she was in a win win situation.

"That's what I thought it was. You two were working on something, that you were keeping quiet. Why else would you go to Metropolis of all places?" Julia observed, there was also the question of were she and Superman in a romantic relationship. They didn't look like they were trying to avoid each other, but now that she had the chance to observe both of them, she would look for signs.

"Are you ready?" He asked again, keeping his face neutral.

"How are we getting there?" Julia asked.

"Until we figure something else out, we have to fly."

"Ok. No problem, just one request. Can I fly with Superman?"

Diana thought she might ask that. Who wouldn't?

"Sure." Superman said, as Diana moved to open the office window. He took off his cape and draped it over Julia's shoulders. "It gets cold when you're that high up. And a little hard to breathe so just be prepared."

"It's heavy." Julia said of the cape, which had to be about 20 pounds. "I wouldn't have imagined it would be, I guess since you're so strong you wouldn't notice."

"It's to protect people from fire or bullets." Diana mentioned, figuring Clark wouldn't say anything.

"It is." Superman confirmed softly. "So just uh, stand on my feet, and try to relax."

Julia did as he instructed, and he put his arms around her back. She couldn't help but smile at the fact that she was being held by Superman. Even though her husband had been gone for years, she felt a little like she was cheating. "Oh my goodness we're in the air!"

Diana smiled at that, knowing how thrilled Julia was. Not at all upset by her giddiness, she leaped out the window and climbed into the sky. Superman followed, flying just slow enough so that Julia would be unhurt.

They touched the ground just outside the main city, near one of the vineyards. Several Amazons were carrying small baskets of grapes out of them.

"What was the lightning storm about?" Julia asked as she let go of Superman and returned his cape.

"It's what protects Themyscira from being detected by the outside world. If anyone manages to breach the magical net, it's there to deter anyone from going through it." The lightning was harmless if one knew how to navigate through it, but Julia didn't need to know that.

"So where am I going again?" Superman asked.

"The southern coast, the dungeons, General Phillipus will be waiting for you."

"The southern coast." Superman repeated, then turned to leave.

Diana cleared her throat, stopping him in his tracks. "That way." Diana pointed south. Superman was about to head west.

After Superman flew away, Julia turned and whispered to Diana. "Is Superman always like that? So... cold and distant? I mean does he ever open up?"

Diana stopped to think about what she wanted to say. As Superman he did act cold and distant, but the real man was the most passionate and loving person she'd ever met. Julia however took Diana's silence as a queue to stop asking questions, it usually was.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that. I forget Superman questions are off limits. So, you were going to show me around?"

"Yes." Diana said quickly.

* * *

Superman landed just outside the dungeons where Phillipus had been waiting on him. He was very unhappy with the task that he'd been assigned to do, and upset with Diana for bullying him into doing it. She said a good boyfriend would help her out whenever she needed it. Citing that he had a habit of disappearing when he didn't want to do something.

"General Phillipus. Is everything ready?"

"Yes, they're both waiting but neither know what for. Come with me."

Superman followed Phillipus into the dungeons of Themyscira. Toward the holding cell of it's only inhabitant in several hundred years. Cressida, who after physically attacking Briony was given a rather lenient sentence of 30 days confinement.

Outside the door with another guard was Briony. Phillipus walked past them into a room where Cressida was sitting silently at a table with two other chairs. Upon seeing Briony, Cressida could do nothing but stare at the floor, she hated herself for what she had done. Briony was nervous, but somewhat calmed by Superman's presence, despite being confused about it.

"What are you doing here man?" Cressida asked.

Superman looked back and forth at both women after he sat down and Phillipus and the other guard left the room. Briony was just as puzzled by his presence as anyone, and her face indicated she wanted to know the answer too.

"I have been asked by Princess Diana to be some sort of mediator to your... dispute."

Both women looked at him like he'd grown two heads. He fully expected that.

* * *

Julia was amazed at the decor of the palace. It was nothing like she'd ever seen. The art and architecture was an amalgamation of different design styles throughout history. Greek, Egyptian, Chinese, Indian and others Julia had no way of recognizing. She had been walking the halls with Diana and Hippolyta for several hours now, discussing how things would proceed.

"So not all of the Amazons are Greek?" Julia asked.

"No." Hippolyta answered. "Themyscira was a haven. Where we could be safe, any woman who wanted to join our city was allowed. They came from all parts of the known world, followed by the men who tormented them. We were attacked, many times, but entire armies fell before us. It was only from within that our way of life was destroyed."

"It's just so strange to hear about this. To be here, speaking with Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons, I mean, I've known all about the twelve labors." Julia was wary of talking about Heracles, and was a little disappointed with herself for bringing this subject up even in the way she had.

Hippolyta laughed. "The myths of Man's World are interesting indeed. I can assure you, none of that is true. Diana has told me all about what the world thinks they know of Hippolyta and the Amazons. They will be in for a surprise indeed."

"So how exactly do you want to do this?" Julia asked.

"We must first learn about the changes the world has undergone. We must learn about the challenges that it faces, once we devise a plan to help this world, only then will any Amazon leave this island."

"How can you learn anything without actually leaving?" Julia wondered aloud.

"The world wide web." Diana said pointedly.

"Of course." Julia said.

* * *

Clark transferred a load of laundry from the washer to the dryer in Diana's apartment. She had graciously allowed him to stay until his mattress was delivered, it was on back order, and could take up to two weeks to arrive. Unlike him and his ridiculous refusal to allow Diana more than just lounge clothes at his place, Diana insisted he bring anything he needed until he went back home.

He brought a few work outfits, and a few after work outfits, and kept a Superman suit in a box under the bed. One problem was the fact that one of her house rules was that he couldn't arrange his things the way he wanted. She demanded that they be arranged randomly. It irritated him to no end but he muscled through it since he wasn't paying the bills here. Even now she was moving the suits hanging in the closet to different spots, mixing them between her own things.

"Do you have to do that?" He asked, returning to the bedroom, seeing her re-hang things, as she'd done every night so far.

"Yes Clark, I have a rule in my house, no symmetry." She said with a smile, while his face changed to one of annoyance. "You can pout about it all day, I don't care. And speaking of all day, how did your meeting with Cressida and Briony go?"

"It was... Vindicating." He said as they sat up in bed next to each other.

"How so?"

"I was dead on about Briony. She likes men, she flat out said it."

"Oh." Diana didn't buy his initial theory about Briony, but apparently he was spot on. "What exactly happened? Neither would tell me."

Clark recalled the events. "After the party, when they went back to their home, Briony explained she didn't want them to be together anymore."

"I know that part, but why?"

"It had to do with me. A hard body instead of a soft one, it's all physical. They connected, but the attraction was all on Cressida's part."

"Why would she be with her for so long if she wasn't attracted to her? They were inseparable, always touching, or holding hands."

"She was lonely. There were no other options."

"But the questions that she asked at dinner that night, she didn't even understand how you and I could be together. I simply don't get how just by seeing you, she would change her entire life like that."

"Those questions obviously meant something different than we thought."

Diana sighed. "What about Cressida? Why did she get so angry?"

"As for Cressida, she is hopelessly in love with Briony, she regretted punching her, and didn't protest her sentence into the dungeon. She was ashamed for becoming one of the monsters that had beaten her. She wanted forgiveness, which Briony gave her, and she wanted reconciliation which Briony wouldn't give her."

"Is that all?" Diana asked.

"No, they agreed to still be friends."

"Well, at least they have that."

Clark scoffed. "Not hardly, Cressida is still holding out that Briony will take her back. Briony only agreed for the sake of being civil, but after a breakup like that, they'll never be friends."

"You don't know that."

"I'm not saying it's impossible, but I doubt it. It's no different that me and Lana. After the high school reunion we both said we wanted to be friends again, but we're not. And we probably never will be. You give everything to somebody, for them to reject you, you can't just ignore that."

That last statement frightened Diana. She knew deep down that she and Clark may not be in a relationship forever, but she never imagined a time where they wouldn't even be friends. If the romance ended everything would end with it? Just the thought of it gave her an miserable empty feeling, she wanted him part of her life always. To combat that feeling she adjusted so that she was holding him close.

It happened to Clark and Lana after growing up together, it happened to Cressida and Briony after decades together. Could it happen with her and Clark? As she turned out the light she desperately tried not to think about it. She tried to think about the challenges facing her from the Amazons who were opposed to rejoining the world. Cressida and Briony were sort of an odd microcosm of what she was facing. They feared that men would come between them again, and they would be conquered and abused. Some of them were desperately afraid of this. They were partially right, that in some cultures the women still lived underneath the men, but Diana had to convince them that the Amazons could be the key to changing that.


	31. Chapter 31

Clark was having a lovely Friday afternoon. He was off work, alone, relaxing with his feet up watching TV with a large pizza and a bottle of fruit punch. Since his mattress was hadn't been delivered yet, he was at Diana's apartment, where he had been staying for the last several days. Diana was out, clothes shopping with Kara and Shannon. It was his suggestion that they call Shannon to accompany them and much to Clark's delight she was happy to. Leaving him with the house to himself, but more importantly not having to shop with Diana _and_ Kara. He'd forever be grateful to Shannon for this. He didn't like shopping with Diana at all, she took too long to make decisions, and he worried that Kara could be the same or worse. Instead he was free to channel surf, he quickly cycled through the daytime soaps and the shopping channels, and the sports channel had a log rolling competition. He was about to look for a movie to stream until he came across a program on one of the science channels that attempted to explain how Superman could be so strong. It was several years old, but he'd never seen it before. Some of their speculation was spot on, however most of it was not. All in all, it was a pretty entertaining show.

* * *

Kara was in total culture shock, the Southside mall was drastically different than the Themysciran marketplace, or the small shops that Martha had taken her to in Smallville. Seeing men was still a bit of a change for her, as for the last year the only ones she'd really seen were Clark and Jonathan. Even more strange was the attention she was receiving. For the last year nearly every Amazon tried to instil in her that she was beautiful, as all women were, but the cat calls from just about every guy they saw was just weird. While she wasn't worried about any of them, as she could level the whole building if she wanted to, she had no idea how to react. And her two companions weren't exactly great examples of how to react either. Diana rolled her eyes and gave annoyed and disinterested looks to every guy who looked her way. While Shannon was much more welcoming to the attention, a few times she broke away to engage in conversation, which is what she was doing now.

"Diana. I'm not really sure how to respond to all this. I've never had guys coming after me before, I actually kind of feel like a 5 year old." Kara whispered, so far she'd just gotten nervous and looked to Diana every time someone tried to speak with her.

"For now just ignore them." Diana whispered back, in all honesty, Diana wasn't sure she knew how to handle them either. She always shut them down quickly, and sometimes rudely. She wondered if there was a better way, but didn't know who to ask.

"Kara, Kara, come look." Shannon came rushing over to pull Kara towards a store.

She stopped in front of a mannequin that was displaying a short dress made from a material that looked black or silver depending on the light.

"Absolutely not." Diana channeled what she thought Clark would say. "She will not be wearing that!"

"Why not?" Shannon asked, while Kara remained silent.

"Look at this, the neckline is far too low and the sides are cut far too liberally. No way." Diana put her foot down.

"Okay sure, it shows a little side boob, ok a lot of side boob, but that's not bad is it? You'll certainly be a head turner." Shannon asked.

"I'm only 16." Kara pointed out, thinking that this dress would cause unwanted attention. "Plus I live on a farm."

"Oh right." Shannon had forgotten that already.

"I think it's something you would like to wear Shannon. You like displaying your... assets a bit more than most."

"That's true, I paid good money for these, I gotta show them off sometime." Shannon said proudly.

Kara was confused at what Shannon paid for, but thought better about asking. Figuring to ask Diana about it in private.

"Either way it doesn't matter, this thing won't fit me anyway. They just don't make anything for us huh Diana?"

"No."

"Ok you're right, this is a little too trashy for high school. But we need to find you something cute, something that will make all the boys do a double take." Shannon announced.

"Fine, just keep in mind I only have about $100 left." said Kara.

The three of them agreed on a not too revealing one shouldered teal dress that Shannon suggested would be perfect for a homecoming dance, but not good enough for prom. Neither Kara nor Diana knew what homecoming or prom was so they just smiled and nodded.

"I'm hungry, can we get something to eat?" Kara asked, as they headed for the exit, each with bags in both hands, even though most of the items purchased were for Kara.

"That sounds good to me. We should pick something up and head back to my apartment. I bet Clark will be hungry too." Diana said first.

"You know Diana, you're an awesome girlfriend. You spend your time and money on your boyfriends baby cousin, you think about him enough to bring him lunch. If he doesn't treat you right he's a total moron."

Part of Diana's considerateness stemmed from the fears brought up several days ago by Clark, about the breakup of Cressida and Briony. He was convinced that they couldn't even be friends anymore, and over the last few days Diana started to believe him. Yesterday it was reported to her that Cressida had been so distraught over being rejected that she tried to hurt herself.

But Diana was afraid for herself and Clark, she couldn't stand the thought of them not even being friends. She cared for him far too much for that, and wanted to make sure he would never forget how much she did.

* * *

Clark was asleep when the women returned, sprawled wildly on the couch. One leg was draped over the back of the couch and one arm dangled to the floor. In his sleep he must have turned over several times, because the loose t-shirt he was wearing was hiked up exposing his torso. There was also something else, that Shannon was the first to notice. In his sleep he was sporting quite the bulge in his shorts.

"Damn Diana. I didn't know you had it like that."

"Had what like what?" Diana came to Shannon who was looking at Clark asleep on the couch. Then Diana gasped suddenly. "Oh my! Clark!"

Diana quickly pulled his shirt down and sat down on his lap, blocking Shannon's view of him.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Clark awoke with a fright looking around wildly, and throwing his hands up defensively. "What the hell?"

"What are you screaming for?" Kara asked, she was the last to enter the apartment, and had missed what Shannon and Diana did. She looked around at the other three people in the room and their drastically different expressions.

Clark was startled and confused, Diana was mortified, and Shannon had an ear to ear grin looking back and forth between Clark and Diana.

"We brought food." Kara said, "What's wrong with you guys?"

They had gotten carryout from a local diner near the apartment. Diana ordered Clark exactly what she remembered he liked, a medium well bacon burger with everything and onion rings on the side. Kara ordered the same, while Diana had chicken strips and fries, and Shannon had a turkey burger and a salad.

The meal began awkward, Diana had suddenly become shy, Shannon couldn't stop looking back and forth between Clark and Diana, and Kara was flat out confused. It all stemmed from Diana sitting on Clark, but so far no one would explain exactly what happened to Clark or Kara. Luckily the burgers were good, so the cousins got over it. After several minutes of silence, the conversation began.

"Oh by the way Diana I took your landlord's advice and took that defensive handgun class." Shannon said.

"You actually did it? I thought you said you hadn't decided."

"Yeah, well I went through with it. I bought a single stack 9mm, but I'm still waiting for them to send me the permit in the mail."

"You got a good holster?" Clark asked.

"Not yet."

"Make sure you get one if you're going to carry. And always remember that self protection doesn't begin or end with a gun. Situational awareness is your best friend, and remember everything they taught you in that class."

"Do you have one Clark?"

"Not anymore, I let it expire. I did an assignment for the Planet and they had me go through the training. But like I told you before, it's not for me." He's Superman, what does he need a gun for? Kara meanwhile didn't have the slightest clue what they were talking about, so she stayed quiet.

Shannon suddenly got an idea. "Diana we should go to the range sometime. Shooting is kind of fun."

"Maybe." She's Wonder Woman, what does she need a gun for?

After dinner Kara and Clark left, leaving Shannon to assume that Kara was staying with him, but in actuality they flew back to Kansas. Shannon was on her way out, but had to say a little bit more.

"I think I know why you're such an awesome girlfriend, Diana." Shannon said as she picked up her purse.

"Why is that?"

"Because Clark is built the way a man should be. You are so lucky."

Diana knew exactly what Shannon meant in reference to Clark's build. She told Shannon in confidence some time ago about her first time with Clark, not in detail, but about how much she enjoyed that first weekend they spent intimately. Now that Shannon had gotten a glimpse of Clark, Diana somewhat regretted it, fearing that Shannon would become more like Zatanna. "I guess so."

"Don't get all shy, you know it's true. Does Kara have any brothers?" Shannon asked hopefully.

"I don't think so."

"Damn. I guess this means I'll just have to find a farmer."

Diana got a look of confusion,

"I'm joking Diana." Shannon clarified. "I'm joking about everything. I was simply commenting on what a handsome man Clark is, not only that, he seems really into you. And if you really like him, when he comes back, you should hug him, kiss him and let him know how much you do. Because a good man is hard to find."

"You know Shannon that's a good idea." Diana smiled.

* * *

Several hours passed and Clark still hadn't returned. Diana expected him to come back right away, but he apparently spent some extra time with his parents and cousin. Giving Diana some time to consider Shannon's words. By all accounts a good man was hard to find, and Diana knew long ago Clark was one of them. She was planning to heed at least part of her advice, if only Clark would hurry up!

He finally arrived as Diana was exiting the shower.

"What took you so long?" She asked as she walk out of the bathroom wearing her robe and her hair wrapped in a towel. He was wearing different clothes, and was putting some different clothes in the closet. When she walked past him she smelled a freshness on him which probably meant he took a shower too.

"I had to explain about your friend's surgical enhancements, which took about 30 minutes. Then I just hung around for a while."

"Oh, Shannon briefly talked about her implants while we were shopping. I don't think Kara understood." Diana sat on the bed and began tying her hair into a ponytail.

"Not at all. The Amazons did a good job at teaching her body image and self respect. I'll give them that."

"Yes. All women that choose to be, are beautiful. However Shannon tried to convince Kara that in order to get noticed, she needed to buy a very low cut dress that was as revealing as the nightgowns I wear. But don't worry, I stopped her. I heard your voice in my head and refused to let that fly. Plus Kara didn't want it anyway."

"Good." He was glad for that, as Diana's nightgowns could barely contain her, he didn't want Kara in anything like that, ever. "Smallville isn't ready for that, and neither are my parents. Your friend is something else."

"I know she is, she has a warped sense of beauty. But I like her, and I trust her. Except for her gawking at you when you were sleeping."

"What was that about anyway? I almost cold cocked you for sitting on me like that."

"She saw your stomach muscles and went a little overboard." Diana chose not to tell him the real story, it wasn't his fault, and she thought she might have overreacted.

"Oh?" Clark didn't get it, he was no more defined than a bodybuilder or professional athlete, why would his abs cause such a fuss?

"So how are your parents?" She wanted to change the subject, slightly disappointed she brought it up in the first place.

"Same as always. They're eager to have Kara there to help them out and Kara's more than willing to help. She gotten used to farming and animals and the like while she was on Themyscira." He told her.

"I told you that was the best place to send her." She said with a smile.

"Mama is particularly happy, now that there's another girl around finally. She always wanted a daughter. I think Dad wanted one too, but that's not the hand they were dealt. So what are plans for tomorrow?"

"I have to go to Themyscira. Cressida has taken a turn for the worse, she tried to hurt herself. I need to convince her that she can live on without Briony."

"Really? That's weird, but I don't think that's it." Clark said. "I think she's more upset that she hurt Briony, not that she was dumped. She's distraught, heartbroken and feels betrayed, but she's most upset that she became an abuser." Clark actually spoke with her, so he knew better than Diana would at this point.

As she finished tying her hair, Diana watched Clark take off his jeans and shirt and lay down in the bed, wearing just a pair of boxers. She thought he might be right about Cressida, he had been so far. "She's hurting, we must find a way for her to heal."

"If anybody can do it, it's you."

"With your help?"

"Yes." Clark sighed, he didn't want to get in the middle of anyone's personal problems but for Diana he'd muscle through it.

"I don't want to talk about that anymore. Come hold me." Diana took off her robe, revealing she wasn't wearing anything underneath and beckoned him to come close. Which he did, pulling her into a warm embrace. "I think I've figured out why I keep taking my clothes off in my sleep."

"Yeah?" He asked as they held each other close, face to face.

"Because I like the way your skin feels against mine. I can't explain why, but I just do."

Clark just smiled. He liked to touch her, and she liked it when he did. No complaints from him.

"In fact, I'm implementing a new house rule. When we're in bed, no clothes. We'll just make it easier on ourselves." She made up that rule just then, and wondered why she didn't do it earlier.

"Oh! That definitely solves that issue. I'm good with that." He removed his boxers rather quickly. Up to this point if Diana removed her clothes before bed relations were guaranteed, he hedged his bets and figured tonight would be no different. He rolled her underneath him and kissed her over and over.

"Wait stop." Diana demanded. "I want to, but not here."

Clark pulled away slightly. "Fortress?"

"Fortress." Diana agreed quickly.

Clark scooped her up and zoomed her to the fortress at top speed. Where they finished what they started in Metropolis. In the fortress Diana worked out her fears that she had for the future. There were words she wanted to say, but wasn't sure how to say them yet. So she used her body to convey all the feelings she felt for him. It would suffice until she found the courage to speak the words.

* * *

The next morning Diana awoke in the cloud bed, with Clark holding her as always. This was it, feeling his body on hers, it was definitely the reason she disrobed in her sleep. The second he began to stir awake she sat up in the bed.

"Good morning." He said opening his eyes, the lights were dim and probably had been on since they came into the room.

"Good morning stud." Diana said happily, rolling over to get up from the bed. "What are these beds used for anyway? It's too soft for us to do anything on, I'm tired of using the floor."

"It's for sleeping. As I understand it, Kryptonians didn't have sex, we were created as a genetic mix between our parents, who were genetically matched to each other."

"What were relationships like on Krypton then? If no one chose to be together." Diana couldn't imagine that, not choosing her partner, or not having sex for that matter.

"I don't know." He said softly.

"Hmm. Well either way, we need something better to make love on, soft enough to be comfortable, but strong enough to handle our strength."

"I'll see what I can do." He said.

* * *

A few hours later after some bed material research and a long bath, Clark and Diana returned to her apartment to discuss the plans for Themyscira today. They were bringing members of the Justice League for a visit, several women, and a few men who were with their girlfriends or wives. Other than Cressida and dealing with more men on the island, neither knew what else to do. They were sitting around doing nothing when Diana's phone, which was also her JL communicator, went off.

"Hello?" It was Bruce on the other line. "The Watchtower? When? Ok."

"What's up?" Clark asked after she hung up.

"Bruce says there's something for us at the Tower, they want us there now."

"Did he say what?"

"No, he didn't, and you never know what that could mean."

Clark and Diana got into uniform and transported up to the Watchtower, ready for anything.


	32. Chapter 32

Clark and Diana arrived at the Watchtower prepared for anything, but were met with a smiling face.

"Hey what's up?" John Henry greeted. "Why do you look so tense?" He was dressed in street clothes, and looked to be in a good mood.

"Where's Bruce?" Diana asked.

"Home I'd imagine, he hasn't been here in hours."

Clark and Diana looked at each other, unsure what to do. They'd keyed themselves up for some action, and felt on edge now that there wasn't any.

"So he called us here for nothing?" Clark asked.

"No. There's something in the hangar. He didn't say what it was though, and I didn't look yet, I was waiting for you."

"Oh, okay. Well I guess we're going to the hangar." Clark mumbled, moving towards the door.

Diana followed, and John Henry brought up the rear.

"So you and Zatanna huh." Clark remarked, less as a question but as a conversation starter.

"Yeah man. One day she came up here looking for a home cooked breakfast, and a couple of days after that we just clicked. It's actually nice dating another hero, it just makes everything go easier. No more lying and carrying on, it's just smooth."

"I hear you on that, dating is tough enough without adding all that secret stuff on top of it." Clark agreed.

"Good for you and Zatanna. She quite enjoyed that breakfast." Diana added. "Are you two coming with us to Themyscira?"

"Yeah we're coming. I will admit I'm a little nervous, but I'm going to keep the faith."

"You'll be fine, where is she?" Diana asked.

"She was asleep last I checked. We had a pretty late night, she was still trying to recover." John Henry explained, there was a hint of pride in his voice. Clark looked back and also saw a hint of pride on his face too, he knew what that look meant.

Diana continued, unaware of the silent exchange between the two men. "I need to explain what is expected of you, and the women you're with. I want to do that before we leave, so let me know when she wakes up."

"Will do." Answered John Henry.

They arrived in the hangar and were met several pallets of boxes next to the Javelin they were planning on taking to Themyscira.

"What is this?" Diana asked.

Clark looked through the boxes to see what was inside. "Computers. Lots of them."

"Really? I wasn't expecting those for a few weeks."

"Apparently they're here early. There's a note over here." Clark picked it up and handed it to Diana.

She read aloud. "The computers you asked for. Don't think for one second Ollie can get things done faster than me. -Bruce."

"Seriously, it's a competition now? Is that how rich people do it?" Clark asked, looking at John Henry, who just shrugged.

"What is he even talking about?" Diana questioned.

"Maybe it's because I said that Ollie was the new ID guy? He got Kara squared away in half the time Bruce did with yours." Clark theorized. "Maybe I touched a nerve."

Diana shook her head incredulously, she suspected underneath it all Bruce was a sensitive person, but this seemed to be going overboard.

"Should we load them up? Get things moving a little quicker?" Clark asked.

"Yes. There are a few who are very eager to learn. It won't hurt anything to be ahead of schedule."

"Alright."

"Need some help?" Wally asked, walking into the hangar hand in hand with Courtney Whitmore AKA Stargirl, they were dressed in street clothes with big smiles on their faces.

Clark and Diana watched in shock as they walked in together, then looked at each other.

"Sure no problem." Clark said still a little floored by seeing he and Courtney together.

He looked at the pallets assessing their weight then looked to Courtney and cleared his throat.

"Oh right, Diana! Can I bring Wally to Themyscira today?" Courtney asked.

"You two are dating?" Diana asked skeptically.

"Mm-Hmm." Courtney nodded yes after a brief pause. "I heard that women were allowed to go, and that we could bring our boyfriends. Can I bring him?"

Diana felt like she was being put on, but decided to just go with it. "Sure you can come."

"Thanks Diana!" Courtney beamed, and gave Diana a hug.

"Clark I'll be back. I'm going to find everyone else who's going." Diana called as she walked out of the hangar.

"I'm going with Diana." Courtney said.

"Great, leave us here with all the work." Clark said sarcastically.

"It won't be so bad. Five pallets between the three of us, we can knock that out." Wally said confidently looking between Clark and John Henry. "Irons I don't know what you can do, but I think me and Clark can double team one of these. It should be easy."

"You sure you can lift that?" Clark asked skeptically, Wally was stronger than the average human, but not by that much.

"Hey, ya'll don't have to lift anything." John Henry pointed to the forklift that was sitting several feet behind him. "How do you think they got these in here?"

"See, easy." Wally beamed.

* * *

Diana gathered everyone who was going to Themyscira in the conference room, to brief them on the upcoming trip. The information was mostly for the couples, but everyone had to be there. She'd been talking for about 10 minutes now, and Clark hoped she would finish soon.

"The reason I'm only allowing couples is to ease the fears of my sisters. Some of them are militant, and will not hesitate to hurt one of you, but they'll think twice when they realize that a woman will be hurt if they do. So ladies, stay close."

Diana looked at the couples. Mera & Arthur, Zatanna & John Henry, Dinah & Ollie, Barda & Scott, Mari & John and lastly Courtney & Wally. Diana wasn't totally sure about Wally, she wondered if this was just a scheme to get to Themyscira, Courtney said that they'd been dating secretly but Diana couldn't be sure, and no one else could confirm it. She hoped she wouldn't regret letting Wally go. "We're taking the computers with us, so I'll ask that each of you help set them up."

"What are the computers for? And how will they work in a ancient society?" Shayera asked.

"Clark is an expert in solar power, using his knowledge we can link with the Watchtower to provide an internet signal to the island, for now we're putting blocks on certain sites, as there are some things they don't need to know yet. But this way they can learn without leaving. Over time we'll teach them more and more, and hopefully they'll teach us. As for your clothes, I would suggest you wear something light, it gets very hot on Themyscira, wear sunblock if you need to, and bring a lot of it. Your uniforms won't be necessary, and I promise your identities will be safe. I'll give you 20 minutes to get ready, then we'll meet on Javelin 2."

* * *

Everyone packed themselves on the Javelin and Diana took off. Flying directly through the atmosphere. Everyone was riveted to the view in front of them, as they were all curious where Themyscira was located. Once Diana penetrated the magical barrier their curiosity was replaced with shock and awe at the powerful lightning storm that protected it.

Clark got a little worried after a few minutes. It usually didn't take this long to navigate through, Diana even directed him perfectly when she was drunk. "Shouldn't we be through by now?"

"Relax I've got this." Diana assured, but was growing more worried by the second. She'd never taken a jet through before and it was shaking wildly.

Clark looked back at the other passengers, they were suffering in silence.

"Ha! There it is." Diana laughed triumphantly.

The view turned from lightning storm to a perfect sunny day. Clean water and pristine beaches.

"This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen!" Dinah marveled. "I can't believe you grew up here."

Diana smiled widely, ecstatic to finally be able to show off where she grew up.

"And there's our welcoming party." Clark pointed to an open field, where he saw Hippolyta, Donna and Phillipus accompanied by a handful of armored guards women. Diana landed a safe distance away from them, and everyone filed out.

"Whoa, you weren't lying when you said it was hot!" Wally exclaimed. "The humidity is through the roof!"

"I hope we'll be able to cool off in the water." Said Mera, she and Arthur could tolerate the heat for an extended period of time, but not without discomfort.

"Of course you may." Diana assured.

Clark looked at the sky, the heat didn't bother him at all, and the sun felt quite nice, not only that, it was good for him. As they crossed the field going towards Hippolyta he looked back and observed everyone's attire for the day. They had taken Diana's advice and dressed light, aside from Arthur and Mera who appeared to always wear the same things. There were shorts and t-shirts for the men, the women wore an assortment of shorts, tank tops, or sun dresses. Zee took it one step further wearing a very light strapless white sundress, with a big floppy hat and large sunglasses, the dress was so light that even without his vision Clark could tell that Zatanna had on a white two piece bathing suit underneath. They looked like a tourist group.

Even he and Diana decided to skip the formal uniforms. He wore a pair blue jean shorts, tennis shoes and a blue sleeveless t-shirt with the El symbol on it. While Diana wore a cream colored grecian dress and sandals that laced up her calves. She was dressed no differently than the other Amazons. She had also worn a big smile since they broke the island's magical barrier, he suspected it would take a lot to knock her out of her day, as it was a smile of true happiness.

Clark kept his ears sharp just to make sure no one would be attacked, then he heard something that he shouldn't. He stopped walking and turned back towards the Javelin.

"What is it?" Diana asked.

"I hear something, hold on a second." Clark went through the group back up the ramp of the Javelin, and stopped at one of the escape pods. He tried to look through the door to see who it was, but found he couldn't. Lead? So he opened the door.

"Right, I should've seen that one coming." He turned back to Diana "We've got a stowaway!"

The group looked back and saw none other than the Batman climbing out of the escape pod. Diana's smile faded quickly, and she flew over the group to confront Bruce.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"I paid for this whole party, I think I deserve to see where my money is going." Batman insisted.

"Bruce, there are carefully laid down rules here, that are designed for your protection. You have no right to be here!" Diana was mad now, Clark could see that she was restraining herself from hitting Bruce. "Nobody asked you to pay for anything, that doesn't give you the right to do what you want! You can't be here without a female with you at all times, if no one here is willing to be your escort you have to stay in the ship out of sight."

Diana stormed off in anger, and Bruce eyed Clark who stood silently while Diana lit into Bruce.

"Don't look at me." Clark said.

Bruce looked at the group that had stopped to stare at him, most had judging looks, condemning his decision to sneak on board. Aside from Diana the most upset was Zatanna. Who came towards them.

"Oh my god Bruce, you've been in there all night haven't you? I knew you were sneaky, but I didn't think you had this in you. Sehtolc teerts!" Zatanna waved her hand and the Batman armor transformed into a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt.

"I'll stay with him!" Gypsy called from the group, and strode towards Bruce. "Just to keep you alive." She clarified once she got close.

Clark left the javelin and started back towards the others after giving Bruce an angry look. Just when he thought Diana's mood couldn't be ruined, Bruce did it, and somehow Clark knew he'd be the one who ultimately pays for it. The group walked towards the Queen and the guards.

"Greetings, I am Queen Hippolyta of Themyscira. As protectors of this world and allies of my daughter, it is an honor to welcome you to our shores." She spoke with a controlled regality, that shocked some of the men. They expected a much colder welcome.

Some of the league members bowed, some did not. Hippolyta didn't appear offended so nothing was spoken about it.

Hippolyta continued after examining the group. "I regret to inform you that I cannot conduct the tour of our land, but General Phillipus will lead in my place. Daughter, Superman, there are matters that must be dealt with and I require your assistance.

The winged sandals flapped rapidly and Hippolyta lifted off the ground, she was followed by Clark and Diana and they flew away quickly.

"I didn't know Diana's mom could fly too." Dinah said.

"She can't." Bruce stated flatly, causing the whole crowd to stare at him.

"Did you not just see what we saw?" Gypsy asked.

"Her shoes, they had wings. I doubt she can fly without them." He speculated.

"How observant." Phillipus commented. "But then again you are the detective. All of you follow me."

Bruce assumed Diana had told about who he was, he didn't like it, but had little choice today. So he just went with it.

* * *

Clark and Diana landed with Hippolyta at the entrance to the dungeons. He suspected this is where they'd be going. Given what Diana told him last night. Entering the cell where Cressida was being held he saw that her entire right arm was wrapped in a white bandage, and it was blood stained on the inside of her arm just under the shoulder. She had the look of a broken woman, and upon seeing the Queen she turned to face the wall.

"Cressida." Hippolyta spoke first. "We do not wish for this continue."

Silence.

"You cannot let this pain consume you, we all love you and will stand by your side always. Please do not push us away."

"I hurt the one person I loved more than any other. You should not trust in me." Cressida cried.

"But you are our sister. We will never leave you in pain, please let us help you heal." Diana pleaded.

"I have never felt so alone." Tears began streaming down Cressida's face.

Hippolyta and Diana looked away, it was considered rude to look at an Amazon as she was crying. Clark took the opportunity to pull them out of Cressida's hearing.

"Is solitary confinement the best place for her? It seems to me that the most effective way for you to ease your pain is to be with people who are sympathetic. Is there something else she can do? Someplace else to go? Particularly someplace where she can be watched so she won't try to hurt herself again?"

Hippolyta gave Clark a look, hesitant to the idea of taking suggestions from him.

"That could be a good idea." Diana had no such hesitations.

"Where does she work? What does she do?"

"Leather working is her specialty." Hippolyta explained.

"Have her do something else maybe, I don't know, a team activity."

"Someplace where she can be watched you say." Hippolyta briefly looked back at the still sobbing Cressida. "I believe I have it."

Hippolyta walked away abruptly, Clark gave Diana a somewhat worried look, unsure what she might have in store.

"Cressida." The Queen demanded, causing Cressida to turn and try to dry her tears. "I am releasing you from confinement, and sending you to carry out the rest of your sentence on the fishing boats. There you will find camaraderie and sisterhood, perhaps you may find healing as well."

Cressida didn't know what to say, she wanted to protest, but knew she would get nowhere with the Queen having made up her mind. "Yes your majesty."

Hippolyta turned to Clark and Diana with a satisfied look.

"Let's hope it works." Diana whispered softly to Clark.

* * *

Bruce had broken away from the others, Gypsy wasn't paying much attention to him so it was easy to slip away. He knew he wasn't supposed to be alone, but something caught his eye. They had been walking through a hall of artifacts, and he came across some sort of cat like sculpture. There was a stone tablet next to it, but he was unable to read it, and since Zatanna turned his armor into regular clothes he didn't have any of his tools to potentially help him translate it. A cat goddess maybe? If it was or wasn't, it still made him think of Selina, and the mess she caused. Break up to make up, that's all they seemed to do, first he loved her, then he hated her. He needed to get out of that relationship, it was a game for fools. Diana always talked about the Amazons life of integrity, and he realized that Selina would never be anything resembling one. She helped him figure out who was poisoning subway riders, but when he confronted the gangster she conveniently disappeared and left him without backup when he expected it. She threw him off his game, something that he couldn't allow.

He also realized he was being watched. It wasn't a total shock given he was alone when he wasn't supposed to be, but he hadn't been able to pinpoint where this watcher was. After several seconds of staying as still as possible he finally turned to look around. Initially he didn't want to telegraph that he knew someone else was in the room but found he had no choice. He pretended to look at the other artifacts in the area, but he was searching for for whoever else was in the room.

The man hadn't noticed her yet, but he appeared to be very sneaky. First of all he slipped the keen eye of Phillipus and also he looked be concealing the fact that he was looking for her, at first she thought he was just looking around. He was slightly shorter than Diana's man and less muscular, but he still appeared to be in excellent physical shape. He looked to be a working man, with several scars on his arms and legs. Instead of being ugly she thought they added character, she had to admit to herself he was handsome, in a different way than the other men Diana had invited today.

Bruce got frustrated and just gave in. "Who's there? Where are you?"

"Here."

Bruce looked behind him and saw a woman emerge from behind a display of a suit of hoplite armor. He could have sworn he looked in that spot multiple times and saw no one. She was short, shorter than any Amazon he'd seen so far, and much less muscular. She was also staggeringly beautiful. "Not many people can sneak up on me."

"I've had centuries to perfect my stealth. Why aren't you with the others?" She asked softly.

Bruce was surprised that she wasn't aggressive with him, he'd been prepared to defend himself, after all he was in a society of warriors and had broken the rules. He didn't miss the short sword sheathed on her hip, but she made no move towards it. He didn't respond to the question, so she asked again.

"Why aren't you with the others?"

"I wanted to know what this was. Do you know?" Bruce turned and pointed to the cat shrine.

"This hall is home to the history of all the different cultures of the Amazons. This shrine is dedicated to Basted, the Cat Goddess of Egypt. Why are you interested in it?" She asked.

"No reason."

"What is your name?" She came closer, since Princess Diana invited this man he must be harmless, just like her boyfriend Clark was.

"Bruce. What's yours?"

"Briony."

* * *

Wally couldn't think, Wally couldn't breath, Wally couldn't talk, Wally couldn't eat, all he could do was stare. Stare at the most beautiful thing he's ever laid eyes on. It was most certainly not Courtney Whitmore, the girl who he convinced to bring him as his date, or anyone else in their company. She introduced herself as Donna, the second Princess of Themyscira. Nothing in life mattered but her smile, she was the perfect perfection, his dream girl, his forever love.

Unfortunately she thought his name was Barry.

* * *

Diana and Clark saw Cressida to her fishing boat, staying a little while to inform the others on the boat that she needed to be watched, and to see how Cressida took to learning a new task after so many years at her old one.

After that they returned to the others, who had finished Phillipus' history lesson and tour, and were now in the Themysciran equivalent of an outdoor cafe eating lunch.

"Where is Bruce?" Diana asked as they flew down to the area.

Clark took a deep breath and rubbed his nose in frustration. "No clue. I see Gypsy, but no Bruce. This should be fun, assuming he's not dead."

"Can you see or hear him?"

"No. The magic in some of these buildings is throwing me off. I'm sure he's around someplace, just leave me out of it."

Diana didn't like it when he did this, but decided to honor his request, for now. She also notice he was eyeing the fire pits where the the food was being cooked. She was beginning to think that Kryptonians had bottomless stomachs. "Fine."

Returning to the Justice Leaguers Clark discovered several things. Barda was probably an honorary Amazon now, as she was with several others with wooden shields and spears practicing combat techniques. Shayera's wings were highly fascinating. Wally and Courtney weren't really dating, because he was practically drooling over Donna. Donna didn't have a clue who Wally was, and Zatanna wanted to go home. She had been hit on by several Amazons already, while she tried to be respectful, she was quite uncomfortable with the idea. So she plastered herself to John Henry's arm.

* * *

Diana had asked Gypsy where she initially lost Bruce, and then tried to retrace her steps. She was now walking through what could be considered the Amazons hall of history, where exhibits to each culture the the women came from were present. She began hearing voices, of a man and a woman. Bruce's voice was unmistakable, but the other sounded oddly familiar. Diana peeked around the corner, not wanting to be seen.

Looking to be deep in conversation were Bruce and Briony. She wasn't totally surprised that Briony would be interested in some of her guests, but she was surprised that she looked so comfortable. So did Bruce for that matter, he was smiling. If Diana didn't know any better she might think they were flirting!

Diana decided not to bother them for now, and allow them to continue their talk. Which they did for the rest of the day. Following Briony's lead, several others engaged in conversation with the male league members. There was an informal meal, and a bit of political talk with the Queen regarding the upcoming process of revealing Themyscira. The computers hadn't been set up yet, as it was determined air conditioning units were necessary in the building, there were several very disappointed Amazons. However all things considered, the day went rather well.

* * *

"I didn't like the way Wally was stalking Donna like that." Diana said as she exited the bathroom, freshly showered and preparing for bed.

"I wouldn't worry about it for right now, she doesn't even know his name. Plus she was creeped out by him." Clark responded, having showered before Diana now laying on the bed with his fingers linked behind his head.

"I don't like the way he treated Courtney, if they're dating he shouldn't..."

"They're not dating. He just said that so you'd let him go."

"You knew this?" Diana exclaimed.

"Yeah, I knew it was a con from the jump. I was surprised you didn't catch it."

"I did, but I decided to give Courtney the benefit of the doubt."

Clark sighed. "Then there's Bruce."

"You know, I'm mad at him, and I'm not at the same time. Until everyone saw Briony speaking with him they ignored the men. I heard several Amazons comment that Briony inspired them to strike up conversation."

"Maybe she should be on the front lines of this process." Clark suggested.

"I considered that, but I can't ignore what that might do to Cressida. That situation is still delicate."

"True, but I think she'll do better on the boat. Feeling like she's not alone will improve her life greatly."

Diana dropped her towel and climbed under the covers, briefly making sure Clark was following the rule she had implemented last night. She curled up close to him and laid her head on his chest. "Clark did it seem to you that Bruce was flirting with Briony?"

"Yes. Yes it did."


	33. Chapter 33

Clark sat in his parents living room waiting for Kara to come downstairs. It was her first day of school and he took the morning off work to see her away for the first time. He could hear Kara fretting about her hair and her clothes.

"Just come on, you'll look fine." Clark asserted, knowing full well Kara could hear him.

"Clark be nice, it's her first day. She's been nervous about this for a while. If you hadn't been teasing her about it, she might be alright." Martha scolded.

Diana had been so busy dealing with Themyscira she hadn't been around him as often. So lately he had been spending most of his spare time with Kara. She was no replacement for Diana, but he thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his cousin. She returned to Metropolis and they went shopping, much to his relief she shopped quickly like he did. They went out to a few movies, and they even went to a baseball game.

During that time he revealed to Kara how much he missed spending quality time with Diana. Kara decided to run with it, teasing him over and over about it. So lately he'd been describing the awkward teenage years that were high school to try to get some retribution. It was easy to forget that she had only lived the conscious life of a 5 year old, because she really took his words to heart. He almost felt bad about it. Almost.

"Here she comes." Martha said, hearing her feet on the stairs. "Oh you look terrific."

Kara wore a simple outfit of blue jeans, tennis shoes, and a Metropolis Titans baseball jersey with pink embroidery on the letters and numbers. She also had changed her hair color, to dark brown instead of light.

"What's with the hair change?" Jonathan asked.

"To protect my identity, and yours. Maybe one day I'll need to help Clark deal with some sort of threat. If that happens I need something to fall back on, I need a life to return to. You're my family now, I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect you." Kara stated seriously, then she added. "Plus it's much better than Clark's stupid glasses."

"Har har, very funny." Clark said sarcastically, but actually he was glad she even considered that, he had no idea if she would be interested in any type of heroics. Now he did.

"Alright, are you ready to go?" Jonathan asked.

"Yep." Kara said.

"Clark, do you want to drive her?" Jonathan queried.

"Nah, I don't want anybody to see me." He stood up and gave Kara a big hug. "They grow up so fast don't they." Clark faked tears, causing Kara to push away and give him a backhand slap to the chest.

Martha and Jonathan laughed, while he picked up the keys to the truck and walked out the door followed by Kara.

"Bye Kara, have fun, do well."

"Thanks Aunt Martha! Bye Clark."

Clark and his mother watched the truck roll off into the distance. Once they were off the property, Clark turned to his mother. "Can I have some breakfast?"

Martha gave him a challenging look before she gave in. "Sure, pancakes?"

"Yes please."

Clark helped gather the ingredients and turned on the griddle, and his mother went about mixing the batter. "You look tired, are you alright?"

"Fine." He said simply.

"I know you haven't had to deal with any type of crisis lately so what could it be? I know that look, you're exhausted." When it came to her son, Martha didn't miss much.

"I'm fine. Promise."

"Is it work?"

"Nope."

"Is it Diana?"

"No." He said unconvincingly.

Martha wasn't buying it, just the way he said 'no' she could tell he was deflecting. His exhaustion had everything to do with Diana. "Things not going well?"

Clark wasn't surprised she figured it out. "They're going fine. Just... I don't know."

Martha finished mixing the batter and went to the stove to start the pancakes. "There are things I always wanted you to have in this life. A career that you enjoy, a nice home, and a family to fill it. I think all mothers want that for their children, but with you being you, I was never sure if you'd be able to have that. I know that there are things that you want in life. Some things you have, some you don't, and others you have a chance for. There are reasons for you to be the way you are, some I may never understand, but don't let those things get in the way of what you really want. And don't let those things get in the way of you revealing your feelings."

Martha finished the pancakes and left him to eat in silence. As he ate, he really let his mother's words sink in.

"Bye mama, I'll see you soon." He said after finishing his meal and clearing his plate.

"Bye Clark." Martha watched him fly off.

* * *

Bruce sat in the floor closet of his parents old bedroom, the place he hid when he was most troubled. His thoughts were everywhere. Selina, Gotham, the League, the Amazons. He wasn't sure what to do about anything right now. Diana was likely still mad at him for sneaking his way to Themyscira, but he was glad he did it. With all the magic and mythical creatures she described, someone needed to see that place with a level head. He wanted to see for himself what was going to be exposed to the world, to see how dangerous it was, if it was even reasonable for them to come out of hiding. Diana refused to invite him they way she did everyone else, so he made his own way. It worked out in the end, as now he was far less worried about them leaving the island and attacking like crazed Valkyries.

Some of the Amazons stared at him with hatred in their eyes, based on their experiences he couldn't really blame them. While others were eager to learn, eager to meet new people and venture out into the bigger world. Briony seemed to be one of the eager ones. She was a strange one, compared to the others it didn't seem that she quite fit in. She was the runt of the group so to speak, and much more shy than any of the others. He couldn't figure out quite what she wanted from him, she smiled at him and touched his arm a few times, but he wasn't sure what any of that meant. She looked to be in her mid 20's, but she was centuries old, maybe he felt a spark, maybe he was just happy to speak with a woman who didn't want anything from him. He had no idea when he'd ever see her again, but also he wasn't sure if he even wanted to. She was a woman who clearly hadn't gotten over her traumatic past, and had recently ended an 85 year relationship with another woman, who she loved, but was never truly attracted to. What did they even have in common? What could he do with that?

Then there was Selina, the best and worst thing in his life. A woman who understood him like no other person did, but never allowed him a break, and gave him no end of conflict. He liked her, but knew a relationship would never end well. Unfortunately ending that relationship wouldn't go well either, as she knew nearly everything about him, she might walk away no questions asked, or want some sort of hush money to keep quiet, she might refuse to leave or she might get angry and sell his secret to the highest bidder and most ruthless killer she could find. He wasn't sure how he would end things with her, but more and more each day he was thinking he had to.

Why couldn't it be simple?

* * *

Diana on a bench on the balcony of her mother's room, it had been a long day of explaining computers to women who had no concept of such a thing. Diana was weary, not just from today but from everything.

"Why the troubled face?" Hippolyta questioned.

"I don't know."

"Did you lessons not go well?"

"They went as well as expected."

"Is it Clark?"

Diana sighed. "I think so, yes."

"I worried about this. What has he done?"

"Nothing mother." Diana said annoyed, her mother seemed to be waiting for Clark to slip up. "We just haven't seen each other much lately because I've been here, and when we're together he's been... distant."

"Why would he do this?"

"I don't know. We've been apart before, and when we return it's as if no time has passed, but this time is different. And I'm not sure what to do."

Hippolyta looked across the horizon, it seemed that Diana was asking for advice. Advice about something she knew nothing about. "What do you want from him?"

"I want him to treat me the way he did before."

"Do you treat him the same as you did before?" Hippolyta asked, causing Diana to spin her head around quickly. Shocked that her mother would accuse her of such a thing.

"I treat him just fine." Diana affirmed strongly.

"Does he see that? I know that the things I have believed about men are not all true, but it was my experience that they were possessive and highly sensitive. He may not want to control you, but he does want you near him, and he wants you to confirm that you will be."

"But I do want to be with him."

"Yet you're telling me."

"He knows." Diana assured, then she thought about it. She hadn't really said anything. She hadn't aired her feelings.

"But the look on your face tells me something else. Diana, I will trust you to follow your heart. Now you must learn to trust your own."

* * *

Clark felt like a 5 year old again, jumping on the bed. Since finishing work at the Daily Planet, he'd been at the fortress working on a bed with proper tension for he and Diana. Based on the force he was using to jump on it, he thought he was onto something. However he wasn't sure how it would handle both of them. During his jumping, the sensors went off alerting him to Diana's imminent arrival. Which was perfect because with her here he could get a better sense of what they needed.

The fortress was huge, and had a countless number of rooms, that were ever expanding as Clark better understood the memory crystals from his ship. Some areas were completely Kryptonian, many of which Clark had no clue what their use was. While others, such as the kitchen, were very human in their design. As the door she entered through was closing behind her she wondered how and where she would find him.

She wasn't even totally sure he was even here. She had called, checked both his and her apartments, and the watchtower only to come up empty. She figured to search the fortress before flying around the earth in search of him.

She entered the wing of the fortress that housed his living area. She checked the kitchen first, then the large theater room, before checking the bedroom.

"What took you so long?" Clark asked, as Diana finally walked in.

Diana ignored his question, more concerned with why he was jumping up and down on a bed. "Why are you doing that?"

"Because it's fun. Haven't you ever jumped on the bed?"

"No."

"Oh, well you have to try it. Come on up."

Diana kicked her shoes off, and took a step onto the round bed, that measured at least 10 feet across, and jumped on it several times.

"Put some force into it!" Clark shouted.

Diana did as he instructed, bringing down force that could likely be measured in tons each time her feet touched the bed. She suspected Clark was doing the same.

"What is this made out of?" She asked.

"It's a sort of high density impact gelatin. Commonly used by the Kryptonian military as soft body armor. I made it thicker, and layered it in a way so that it's bouncy."

"It seems to work pretty well."

"Yeah so far."

Diana took one final bounce high in the air, and twisted so that she landed on her back, further testing it out, she rolled over a few times.

"It's comfortable too."

"That was the idea. Looking good so far, no degradation of the gelatin or anything like that, so it survived the bounce test nicely. I think all we need now is empirical data." He dropped down into a position where he was kneeling next to Diana.

"Ok." Diana said, immediately beginning to remove her clothes.

* * *

Diana was somewhat disappointed in herself. Instead of confronting Clark over his growing emotional distance, she just jumped in bed with him. Her mother had told her to trust her heart, which is what she planned to do, but when faced with the moment she couldn't do it. She was finding it difficult to give anything to him that he wouldn't give back. She gave him everything her body had when they made love together, and she believed that he gave her everything as well, but there was something missing. Diana knew exactly what it was, only she didn't know how to get it.

She knew that laying in bed with Clark wouldn't solve her problem. So using extreme caution as to not wake him she slid out of his embrace. After gathering her clothes which had been thrown haphazardly across the floor she crept away and left the fortress. Coming here had been a mistake, sleeping with him had been a mistake. Not because she didn't enjoy it, but because it didn't solve her problem. If he woke up with her in his arms he would just act like everything was normal. He would want something to eat, he would want to talk about what was happening with Themyscira, or talk about work. Nothing about their relationship, or their feelings. Diana admitted to herself recently that she would always want Clark to be a part of her life, but she was realizing that this wasn't what she wanted. Dinner, sex, and an occasional spin on a dancefloor was nice, but it wasn't enough. She needed time to think, think about what she wanted out of her relationship with Clark. Her mother told her to trust her heart, something she wanted to do, but before she could do that she needed to figure out what her heart truly wanted.

* * *

Clark wasn't totally surprised to wake up alone. She wasn't totally into things tonight, physically she was as amazing as always, but emotionally she was detached. In hindsight, he figured she probably wanted to say something to him tonight. Now she was probably upset at him for derailing whatever she wanted to say. He wouldn't blame her if she was, he had been acting different towards her lately. Kara had been teasing him because he missed her being around, but he couldn't deny that some of the distance was deliberate on his part. Changes needed to be made in their relationship, he just needed to figure out how to make them.

* * *

Not wanting Clark to follow her, Diana returned to Themyscira. She needed some time to think, time to work out her feelings. They made perfect sense just a few days ago, but now even though she felt exactly the same she was totally confused.

It was the middle of the night on Themyscira, most were likely asleep, and those that weren't probably didn't want to be bothered. Diana just landed absently on the outskirts of the marketplace, planning to just walk in the moonlight for a while.

Diana did just that for about 20 minutes, until a voice startled her. "Hello Princess."

Diana turned quickly, not expecting anyone to be outside at this time. "Hello Briony."

"What brings you here? And what are you wearing?"

Diana looked down at herself, she was wearing tight blue jeans, tennis shoes and a form fitting red t-shirt. "I just wanted to relax somewhere, as for my clothes, they're common dress in man's world."

"I see. Is it common practice to wear the seams on the outside?" Briony asked, fingering the material at Diana's shoulder.

"No. I put it on hastily, I guess I didn't notice." Diana took off the shirt and flipped it around. "What are you doing out here?"

"Just thinking. I must admit, I am excited at the prospect of leaving this isle and exploring the larger world, but I am still afraid."

"There's no need to be afraid, you're an Amazon, and you'll have all your sisters with you."

"All my sisters." Briony said wistfully, looking to the ground. "What of Cressida? I have heard nothing about her in days."

"Mother has sent her to work on the fishing boats. Hopefully there she can find some peace."

"I hope so. I did not wish for her to be so hurt by this. It's not as if I didn't love her, because I did. I just couldn't love her the way she wanted me to, I never could."

"So why did you go to her in the first place?" Diana wondered.

"It is not easy being the smallest or the weakest woman on the entire island."

"You are not at all weak, I have seen you best many in battle training." Diana assured.

"Not always. I was not even competent on the battlefield until I met Cressida, it was she who taught me to use my small stature to my advantage."

That made sense to Diana, Cressida could easily teach Briony how to defeat an opponent much larger than herself. Now that she thought about it, Briony's fighting technique was quite similar to Wing Chun, a fighting style that has origins said to be designed as a way for a smaller woman to defend herself against a larger opponent.

"We had lived on Themyscira for centuries before we came together. She said she grew tired of seeing me defeated in battle training. I do not have a warrior's mind, Cressida saw that, she taught me at my own pace. It was then we became lovers."

"But you always longed for a man?" Diana guessed.

"Yes. Cressida offered me comfort and warmth, she was possibly the only woman I could be with."

Diana was astounded, Clark figured all of this out within minutes of discovering about their breakup. If he was so perceptive, why couldn't he tell something was missing between the two of them? Or if he did, why didn't he do anything about it?

"But I do not need to explain this to you." Briony went on. "You too desire a man."

Diana looked to the ground with a somewhat troubled look. "Yes."

"But there is something amiss, isn't there?" Briony asked, catching Diana's expression.

"I don't know. I've been going at this all wrong."

"What happened? I may not be able to advise you, but I can listen."

"Lately he's been distant. He won't explain anything, he just acts like everything is the same, when it isn't."

"Why has he changed?"

"I'm not sure, but I feel different, about everything. Earlier tonight, when we were together, our time was wonderful, but I could not face him afterwards."

"Physical satisfaction, without the emotion you desire. I know all about that. That describes what I had with Cressida. That is why I ended it. I need an emotional connection. Be sure to have that with whoever you choose to be with, you will be empty inside without it."

Diana couldn't agree more with that, she was beginning to feel empty now. She could clearly see the signs of drifting apart now. She never wanted her relationship with Clark to define her, and she tried to make sure that it never did, but it was clear to her that it had changed her. She was no longer in for herself, everything one of them did affected the other. She didn't want to end up like he and Lana, claiming to be friends but not even speaking to each other anymore. She wanted him part of her life, and if she was honest with herself, she didn't want to just be friends. And when it came down to it, nothing would stop her from getting what she wanted. Suddenly she figured out what her heart wanted, and this time she would trust it.


	34. Chapter 34

Clark stepped off the elevator and lumbered to his desk. It had been an awkward morning, since the world has been at peace, he'd been sleeping more than ever lately. Yet today, he felt weary, and unsettled.

"You alright Clark?" Lois asked, sitting on his desk next to him. "You look like you've just been in a fight."

"I do?"

"Yeah. You look exhausted man. Is it Diana? Did you two break up or something?"

"No. Why would you think that?"

"Well, you walked in here looking like a sad sack, when usually you're happy as a lark. You know if you did break up, you can tell me."

"I didn't break up, but I'll keep that in mind." Clark said dryly. "So any progress with your... situation?"

Lois figured he was talking about her desire to become a mother. "Nope, and I still don't know what to do."

"You could get drunk and see what happens." Clark joked.

"I'm no bar skank, that won't be happening. I'm going to find someone, someone who's just right. I'm going through my old yearbooks, and then checking people out online. Maybe somebody I went to school with could help me out."

"You sure you want to go with somebody you know? That makes you look really desperate."

"Why would that make a difference to someone I don't know? I don't care how I look. I want what I want, and I'm going to get it."

"Ok serious question, it's been bothering me for a while now. I've just got to know. That first day when you told me about this new endeavor, were you going to ask me to uh, do the deed?"

Lois frowned, and then she huffed. "No, you were in a committed relationship. I would never ask you to do anything that would get in the way of that. However if you must know, had things been different, you may have been high on the list. But your being adopted gave me cause for concern."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you don't know what type of traits you have, are you likely to lose your hair, or have any sort of genetic disorder, or be a carrier for anything like that? A girl needs to know these things."

Clark laughed. "It's never simple with you, you know that?"

"This isn't a simple matter Clark, this is real." Lois asserted, then headed back to her desk.

* * *

Selina clearly wasn't happy, but Bruce didn't think she was particularly angry either. She probably felt more used than anything. Bruce decided to break it off with her the morning after a hot and steamy night in the bedroom. As she silently gathered her clothes, even he kind of felt like a jerk for kicking her out now. He didn't even have the decency to give her the news over breakfast.

"You'll come back. You always do." Selena snapped before storming out.

Bruce didn't say anything, what could he say? For all he knows she might be right. Selina Kyle was like a drug, no matter what he did to try to kick the habit, he was always jonesing for another hit. She was bad for him, but he couldn't shake her hold from him, and in many ways he didn't want to. Who knows what the future holds, they may end up back together, they may not. But for now, Bruce was confident he made the right decision.

* * *

During his lunch break Clark tried to contact Diana. He sent a text and he called, but he got no response. Maybe he upset her more than he anticipated, because it wasn't like her to just flat out ignore him like that. He knew that even if she was on Themyscira she would be in communication range, as her cell phone doubled as her JL communicator and had a signal anywhere within several light years of the watchtower. His mind raced, thinking the worst, but he had to calm himself down. There's a reason for everything. She'll call back eventually, she just wants to do it on her own terms.

* * *

Diana paced back and forth in her rooms on Themyscira. She had been restless since last night. She couldn't sleep, she had spent several hours trying to no avail. Then she cleaned her room, getting rid of all the dust that had settled on her desk and her weapons. Now she was trying to wear a channel into the floor pacing back and forth. She was frustrated, her body was keyed up, but there was nothing to do. She knew exactly what she wanted, but was beginning to realize that she couldn't demand it, nor could she fully expect to just get what she wanted, how she wanted it. She had determined that she would just come out with it, and hope things would work in her favor. It wasn't an easy choice, or a safe one, but it seemed to be the only one she had.

Clark had tried to contact her several times, while she desperately wanted to talk to him, she didn't want to do it over the phone. She would do it in person, today. She just had to figure out what exact words she wanted to say. So far during her pacing, she hadn't come up with anything satisfactory. Just to blow off some steam she let off a loud scream of frustration. The scream felt good on her throat, but it didn't relieve her frustrations.

Donna had been mopey lately, Kara was gone, and while Diana spent more time on the island she was so often busy with teaching the Amazons how to use computers she didn't really have time to be a big sister like she used to be. She had spent a long time laying in bed feeling sorry for herself, until she heard something. Long, loud and piercing, the walls muffled the sound but Donna could have sworn to herself that it was someone screaming. She got out of bed and walked out to the balcony to look at the street below. Just a few women walking casually, no one seemed to be in pain or angry or anything such as that. Maybe she imagined it? Donna thought she was losing her wit until she heard an odd grunt sound coming from the balcony neighboring hers, Diana? Who knew she was even still here?

Diana was standing still with her hands balled into fists with her teeth clenched, when Donna floated into the room. She couldn't quite make out what sort of look was on her big sister's face, but she certainly did not look happy.

"Diana are you alright? I heard strange sounds coming from in here."

"I'm fine. Now go away!" Diana demanded.

"How long have you been here? I thought you would be giving lessons again."

"Did you not hear me? I told you to go away!" Diana snapped at her sister, and looked at her with battle in her eyes.

Donna never liked that look on her sister's face, but sometimes it was best to muscle through it. "I'm not going away until you tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing is wrong, now go away, I'm busy."

"Okay, if you insist." Donna walked past Diana towards the door, placing Diana in between herself and the large open window. Sometimes Diana needed to vent her frustration, and Donna knew just what would do it. Unfortunately it came at her own expense.

Resolving herself to it, Donna charged Diana with everything she had. Ramming into her and flying her out the window and into a wide open grassy field. Donna slammed her sister into the ground, and picked herself up, ready for anything Diana could throw at her.

"Oh that was a mistake." Diana said coldly. Then she charged.

Diana threw a fist aimed at Donna's head that was blocked with her bracelets. Donna countered by by spinning around and slamming the bottom of her fist into Diana's ribs, Donna was rather shocked that she connected. It seemed like a careless move for Diana, if she'd had a dagger or something Diana would have been done for.

As the fight went on, Donna kept noticing Diana's guard wasn't tight like it always was. Donna was dominating, something she never did. Diana was infinitely more competitive than Donna was, losing was never an option, but today it seemed inevitable. Diana was out of breath, and she wasn't attacking. Donna put her sister on the ground by ramming her shoulder into Diana's chest, then stopped.

"Clearly there is something going on with you. Maybe you don't want to talk about it with me now, and I won't try to make you, but work it out sister" Donna said as she stood over Diana. Usually if something was bothering Diana, this was the best way to get it out of her, that had been the way they'd done things for years. Sometimes Donna felt her lot in life was to be her sister's whipping girl, but Diana always felt so much better after a good fight. And she always made sure to do something fun that would make Donna happy afterwards.

Today was different, Diana just laid on the ground in defeat, her clothes tattered, and grass stuck in her messy hair, with the same frustrated look on her face. Donna didn't like to see her sister like this, and had tried to get her to open up about what was bothering her. But she was unsuccessful, so she just began walking away.

"Donna." Diana looked up after her sister was about 20 paces away. "Thank you."

"You're always welcome sister."

Donna took off, leaving Diana alone laying in the grass. She was sweaty, and unkempt, she would got to the bathhouse soon, but first she just stared at the sky. She hadn't felt this flustered in months.

Not since the first day she told Clark she wanted a relationship.

* * *

Clark was finally going home, he attended a press conference with a city planner announcing plans for an old abandoned building in the entertainment district that was going to be renovated. After his initial write up he was allowed to go home.

Luckily for Clark, today went rather smoothly, nothing too heavy was going on in the office, because his mind was not focused on work in the least. He couldn't stop thinking about Diana, she just disappeared. While initially he was not surprised that she'd done so, he was surprised that she hadn't contacted him by now. Even if it was just to say she wanted to meet face to face.

He didn't know what to think, maybe it was about him, maybe there was a revolt on Themyscira, and Diana was protecting her mother from being overthrown. Who knows? As Clark approached his building he thought back to his mother's words. She told him not to let the things that made him unique stop him from revealing his feelings. He couldn't help but feel that she was completely off base with that statement, there were so many other reasons for him being the way he is. Not just his genetic nature, or his human teachings. His past experiences shaped him as much as anything else did.

Past experiences, suddenly it dawned on him what his real issue was. Something he thought he put to bed, but realized now that he really didn't. Knowing exactly what he had to do, he hurried up to his apartment, walking straight past the doorman and the security guard and stepping quickly into the elevator.

Once he got into his apartment, he picked up his old address book, and his landline phone, dialing a number.

"Hello, Lana? It's Clark."

* * *

Diana returned to her room with a fresh gown. She had spent the last half hour in the bath house cleaning up from her earlier fight with Donna. It was an interesting time, as Donna had sprinted through the marketplace shouting to the heavens that she'd finally defeated Diana in a fight.

It was common knowledge that Diana had previously been undefeated in battle since she was a small girl. Many of her sisters came into the bath house to confirm Donna's story. Many were amazed to learn that it was indeed true, and Donna had been the victor.

Being defeated by Donna was a humbling experience, it put her in another person's shoes and made her realize that Clark may be dealing with the same things she is, and just like her, he didn't know how to express himself. She knew that anything she did affected him, but up until now she hadn't grasped that enough to fully take him into account.

After she'd confirmed Donna's story with enough of her sisters, she was left alone. The bath gave her the opportunity to relax and consider her words to Clark, and she had come to a conclusion about what she was going to say to him. Now all she had to do was work up the nerve to confront him.

* * *

As Diana arrived at his apartment, Clark was in his closet changing his clothes. She walked into the bedroom and waited for him.

"I'll just be a second." He called.

"Ok."

A few minutes later Clark came out wearing a short sleeve white button up shirt, blue jeans and white tennis shoes. Diana herself was dressed in a white grecian dress that fell just above her knees. "Come fly with me?" Diana asked.

"Yes."

They flew high in the late afternoon sky. Letting the sun wash over them and relishing the feel of the wind moving against their bodies. It was reminiscent of an earlier time, when just as friends the would fly around the world countless times, for no other reason than to just do it. When they were together, they didn't have a care in the world. Diana finally took him by the hand and led him to Themyscira, there was someplace she wanted to show him.

They landed on a secluded beach on the coast, far from the city. It was a beautiful place, surrounded by trees, with a smooth beautiful landscape and pristine clay that was the exact color of Diana's skin. She held his hand and walked him to what appeared to be a specific spot on the ground, because when she stopped she spun around and took him by his other hand with smile on her face.

"Do you know what this place is?" She asked.

"No."

"I am standing on the exact spot where I was formed from the clay by my mother's hands."

"This is a beautiful place."

"Yes, I love it here, it makes me feel connected to everything I care for. This is the first spot that I looked into my mothers eyes, the first place I cried, the first place I breathed life. I don't remember those things, but without those events I would never be the woman I am today. But I want to make a new memory of this place, I want this to be the first place that I reveal to you that I love you. That I love you with all my heart and that I want you to be in my life always. You are the kindest, most humble, most loving man I could ever imagine. I could not see myself with anyone else if I tried, and i don't think i want to... So there you have it. I love you, and I want to be able to tell you I love you every single day."

Clark smiled, he couldn't have been happier to hear her say those words. It was a relief, he didn't know what she was thinking. He was so happy he couldn't even speak, he tried to say something back, but the words didn't come.

So he kissed her, he kissed her with all the feeling and emotion he had, hoping to capture some of her words so he could finally respond.

After the longest most passionate kiss they'd ever shared, he finally pulled away.

"And I love you." was his response. He never imagined that he'd ever see a happier look on Diana's face, he took in the beautiful sight and burned it into his brain, never allowing himself to forget it.

She knew it! She knew that's what it was, he just didn't know how to say it. It all made perfect sense now. Diana embraced him and nuzzled her cheek against his, then asked, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you love me?" She had an amused smirk on her face.

"Oh come on, do you really think I'm the kind of guy who just blurts all this stuff out?"

Diana laughed. "Not at all. I just want to know."

"Isn't it enough that I do? Can't I just lay you down and make mad passionate love to you?"

"Mmm, that does sound good." Diana put a finger to her cheek. "And you can do that, but first I want to hear it. Why do you love me?"

"Alright fine, I love you because... I've got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it's cold outside I've got the month of May..."

"Clark! That's the Temptations and you know it. You're a writer, you have a way with words, use your own."

He took a deep breath, "I've never been good about revealing my feelings, it's just the way I am. My nature is to be cold and logical, cutting off all emotion, but my upbringing is to be loving and passionate and giving, but I've never known how to reveal that other than to just do it. I love you because I think you embody everything I could ever want in a woman. You're strong, you're beautiful, you're smart, being with you helps make me the man I want to be. I love you, I'm in love with you and I think I have been for quite some time now."

"Clark thank you for this. I understand that your feelings are something that you keep within you, and I'll respect that. I just always want to know that you're still in love with me."

"I may not say it, but I'll always show you."

"How?"

"Like this."

Clark pulled Diana close and kissed her passionately over and over. They just stood gazing at each other, seeing forever in each others eyes.

THE END

* * *

_A/N: And there you have it. I hope you have enjoyed reading this story much I have enjoyed writing it. I can't thank all the readers and reviewers enough for your support and kind words throughout the course of this story. I wish you all the best. And just in case you're curious, there is indeed another Clark & Diana story in the works. _


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